Environmental Groups Praise Reps. DeLauro, Gilchrest for Introducing Ag Bill to Benefit NE, Mid-Atlantic Farmers & Producers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Meg Little, mlittle@environmentaldefense.org, 202-572-3387
Sharyn Stein, sstein@environmentaldefense.org, 202-572-3396
Brian Moore, National Audubon Society 202-861-2242 ext 3028

(Washington, DC – May 3, 2007) – Three leading environmental groups praised the introduction today of a bill that proposes to dramatically increase funding for voluntary conservation programs in this year’s Farm Bill. U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) introduced The Farm, Nutrition and Community Investment Act that rewards farmers, ranchers and forest landowners when they take steps to solve some of our most pressing environmental challenges, such as providing clean air and water, wildlife habitat, wetlands restoration and developing renewable energy sources. Farmers, producers and private forest owners manage millions acres of the Northeast landscape; these landowners play an important role in protecting the quality of the region’s air, water and wildlife habitat. With other significant farm bill reform legislation, such as the Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act and the EAT Healthy America Act already cosponsored by more than 178 House members, this bill further strengthens the call for Congress to expand conservation in the next Farm Bill.

The bill would:
• Double incentives for better water quality to $2 billion a year;
• Provide farmers $300 million a year to enhance wildlife habitat;
• Help farmers restore 5 million acres of wetlands;
• Increase funding to help protect forest lands from development;
• Promote development of renewable energy sources.

“We applaud Congresswoman DeLauro and Congressman Gilchrest for this comprehensive proposal to give more Americans access to the important conservation programs offered by the Department of Agriculture,” says Brian Moore of the National Audubon Society.

“I applaud these members of Congress for introducing this legislation that will help make health, energy, equity and the environment a central focus of the 2007 Farm Bill,” said Scott Faber, farm policy campaign director for Environmental Defense, “Our farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are anxious to solve America’s environmental challenges. They can help provide clean air, clean water, and clean energy, but only if we reward – rather than reject – their offers to help.”

“This innovative legislation from Representatives DeLauro and Gilchrest is a major addition to the bi-partisan momentum that has been building since 2002 to fix the unfairness, the inequities, and the misplaced priorities of America’s broken, wasteful system of farm subsidies. The call for reform is coming from virtually every progressive organization in America, from the religious community, and from moderates and conservatives in Congress. The farm policy fraternity is tuning it all out. They prefer the status quo, which funnels the majority of America’s investment in agriculture to a handful of commercial operations growing a half-dozen crops in two-dozen Congressional districts. It’s time for that system to go,” said Ken Cook, President of the Environmental Working Group.

As a result of inadequate conservation funding of the current Farm Bill that took effect in 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) turns away thousands of landowners in the Northeast who are eligible for conservation payments. Unlike subsidies, conservation payments flow to all farmers, ranchers and landowners regardless of what they grow or where they live.

Read the bill summary here.

Read the bill section-by-section here.

Read the regional fact sheet here [pdf].

Click here for more information about farm and food policy reform.