Release No. 0047.97 Remarks of Secretary Dan Glickman The New Conservation Reserve Program USDA Headquarters -- February 12, 1997 I would like to start this off with a long overdue thank you' to a tremendous group of people ... Parks Shackelford and Tom Hebert -- who've headed up the day-to-day effort -- Grant Buntrock ... Paul Johnson ... Jim Lyons ... Dallas Smith ... Anne Kennedy ... Greg Frazier. These are some of the top conservationists in the country. We're proud that they call USDA home. They've worked closely with the environmental community, with farmers, with everyone who cares about American agriculture and protecting our natural resources. Their personal commitment shows in this final rule. We received 3,457 comments on this rule. Overwhelmingly they said: Give us a common-sense program that maximizes environmental benefits.' That's been our goal all along. Until today, we've been forbidden by law from talking about what's in the new rule. You can literally see the teeth marks on our tongues. One thing nature has in common with the media is that both abhor a vacuum. There's been a lot of speculation. Some correct, some way off base. I'm going to address the misconceptions head-on, but I'd first like to start with a clean slate. I have here with me a book that's being released by our Natural Resources Conservation Service. All of you are welcome to a copy. The book's called Geography of Hope.' It's highly readable, and it speaks to all Americans about the importance of protecting our land. It explains how each of us can help ensure that agricultural abundance and natural beauty are an eternal American legacy -- a sacred trust carefully passed from generation to generation. A geography of hope' includes clean streams, pristine forests, healthy, plentiful wildlife habitat, and sustainable natural resources -- including productive farmland. After all, soil -- as Paul Johnson writes in the introduction -- is the basis of all life.' The new Conservation Reserve Program is a call to action. It is a call to every American farmer and rancher to help build a real-life geography of hope.' This is a strong, revolutionized environmental program. It follows good common sense. It makes good economic sense. Rental rates will reflect the reality of local market values. And above all, the new CRP makes good environmental sense. That's the whole point of these reforms. Times have changed. Government's getting out of the supply management business. But our role in conservation has never been more important. Under the new CRP, we will only enroll the most environmentally sensitive land. Unfortunately, there have been some erroneous reports that imply we're about to enroll all the productive cropland in America. But there's a basic distinction that's getting lost in this debate -- the distinction between land that's eligible for the CRP and land that gets in the CRP. It's apples and oranges to judge this program on the basis of what's eligible. That would be like judging Harvard on its legions of applicants instead of its handful of students. We'll take only the most environmentally sensitive land. Of course, we want a quality pool to choose from. That's why highly erodible land' under the Conservation Compliance Program will be eligible for the new CRP. If land is sensitive enough to regulate, it should be sensitive enough to qualify for help. Farmers shouldn't get mixed signals. We're also making cropped wetlands eligible, as well as cropland associated with non-cropped wetlands. This way, if you have a field near a wetland that's good nesting habitat, it should be considered. And farmers can sign up now for certain high-priority practices -- such as filter strips, shelterbelts, field windbreaks and riparian buffers. These will be offered under a continuous sign-up. So will pasture along streambanks, so ranchers can help protect waterways and threatened species, like steelhead and Pacific Northwest salmon. We've set the stage for a quality pool. Approximately 230-240 million acres will be eligible. That's what's prompting some to say we'll enroll every farm in America. It's just not true. We can only enroll up to 36.4 million acres -- less than 15% of what's eligible. In fact, if there's a real concern here, it's the exact opposite: Can we get farmers to bid the most sensitive land? Their participation will determine the success of this program. That's why, quite frankly, we believe the expanded pool is a plus. There are millions of acres of cropland that could provide outstanding water quality or wildlife benefits, yet would not be eligible for enrollment based solely on their erodibility. Under the new CRP, erosion reduction remains a high priority, but its joined by wildlife habitat and water quality. So the CRP is no longer just a soil protection program, but a true conservation program. As my mother would say, the proof is in the pudding.' How do we ensure the best land gets in? In my book, that's the only question that really matters. The answer is: We've made a strong new Environmental Benefits Index the backbone of the new CRP. NRCS staff will take the new index out into the field and use it to evaluate each bid. They'll then be ranked against all the other bids. Those that provide the maximum environmental benefits will get into the program. The big three factors for consideration will be wildlife habitat, erosion reduction, and water quality. We'll give added consideration to bids that provide benefits beyond the length of the contract. For example, if you plant hardwood trees, they're likely to be around for 50 to 200 years, instead of just the 10 years of the contract. Air quality benefits and location in one of the four conservation priority areas (Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and Prairie Pothole) also help. Regular enrollment will take place from March 3rd to March 28th. I encourage all producers to get educated about the new CRP and help protect the land that feeds us. #