Farm and Conservation Groups Oppose Obama’s Proposed Farm Bill Cuts

February 5th, 2010 From NSAC

“In a February 5 letter to the House and Senate Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittees, farm, conservation and environmental groups urged Congress to reject President Obama’s proposed $1 billion-plus cut to mandatory farm conservation program funding.  The letter, coordinated by NSAC, was signed by 37 organizations including Audubon, Clean Water Network, Environmental Defense Fund, Izaak Walton League of America, National Farmers Union, National Association of Conservation Districts, and National Wildlife Federation.

The funding placed on the chopping block by the President was agreed to and signed into law as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.  In his 2011 budget, submitted to Congress on February 1, Obama proposes to use a backdoor mechanism to reverse the farm bill decision.  The proposed budget chicanery would limit the ability of USDA to pay their conservation service employees if they implement a program beyond a reduced size and scope dictated in the White House proposal.

The Obama proposal includes one-year cuts to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program, and one year and multi-year cuts to the Conservation Stewardship Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Grasslands Reserve Program.  The one year cuts exceed $500 million and the long-term cuts exceed $1 billion.”

To read the full article go to: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/farm-and-conservation-groups-oppose-obama%E2%80%99s-proposed-farm-bill-cuts/