One of the Strongest Farm Bills Ever for Conservation Passes the Senate | The Nature Conservancy.
Arlington, VA | February 04, 2014
The U.S. Senate today passed the long-awaited Farm Bill with a strong bipartisan vote. The bill includes important conservation and forestry provisions supported by The Nature Conservancy, including funding for conservation programs, a new regional partnership program to better leverage and achieve conservation results, a “sodsaver” provision to prevent soil loss, a re-linking of conservation compliance to crop insurance premium assistance and the permanent extension of stewardship contracting to encourage collaboration to restore healthy ecosystems.
In response to the passage, The Nature Conservancy issued the following statement from its President and CEO Mark R. Tercek:
“This farm bill is one of the strongest ever for conservation and forestry.
“Farm bill programs support clean air and water, productive soils and food security, and this bill’s conservation provisions are practical, cost-effective and provide solid tools and resources for individual landowners. They enable growers to do what they want to do—be good stewards of the land.
“All Americans enjoy the results of these conservation programs. They lead to cleaner water, improved soil conservation, enhanced wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities, increased flood control, stronger local communities and rural economies, and of course, affordable and healthy food.
“We are particularly grateful to Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Cochran and their staff members for their tireless efforts. It surely wasn’t easy, but they and other Agriculture Committee leaders found a productive way forward by working together, listening to the people on the ground about what works, and leading the way for all of Congress to vote for smart, efficient solutions. We deeply appreciate their commitment to bipartisan solutions and sound conservation for lands and waters. They have proven that it is still possible for Congress to improve policy, receive strong bipartisan support on an issue and save scarce federal dollars at the same time.”
