USDA COMMITS HISTORIC RESOURCES TO CONSERVATION ON PRIVATE WORKING LANDS

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2002--Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 - the Farm Bill - contains record-level support for environmental stewardship and conservation of working lands, ensuring that land remains both healthy and productive.

"This Farm Bill represents the single most significant commitment of resources toward conservation on private lands in our nation's history," Veneman said. "The legislation responds to a broad range of emerging natural resource challenges faced by farmers and ranchers, including soil erosion, wetlands and wildlife habitat enhancement and farmland protection."

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA's lead agency for conservation on private lands, landowners will benefit from a portfolio of voluntary assistance, including cost share, land rental, incentive payments and technical assistance.

"The conservation provisions build upon past conservation gains and respond to the call of farmers and ranchers across the country for additional cost-share resources," said Bruce I. Knight, chief of NRCS. "The 2002 Farm Bill also ensures greater access to programs by making more farmers and ranchers eligible to participate."

The conservation programs addressed by the new Farm Bill include:

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

The Farm Bill reauthorizes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program through 2007. It adds $5.6 billion in funding and program streamlining for the program. The EQIP provides technical and financial assistance to eligible producers to address soil, water and related natural resource concerns. It offers cost-share payments for implementation of eligible conservation practices and incentive payments for implementation of land management practices.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

The Wetlands Reserve Program is USDA's premier wetland restoration program. It offers landowners an opportunity to obtain financial and technical assistance for restoring and protecting wetlands on their property. The Farm Bill increases overall acreage caps for the WRP from 975,000 to 2.275 million acres. The WRP is offered on a continuous sign-up basis. Applications are available at local USDA service centers, NRCS field offices and conservation districts or on the Web at http://www.sc.egov.usda.gov .

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

The Farm Bill reauthorizes the highly successful Conservation Reserve Program. The CRP provides technical and financial assistance to reduce soil erosion, protect the nation's ability to produce food and fiber, reduce sedimentation in streams and lakes, improve water quality, establish wildlife habitat and enhance forest and wetland resources. CRP encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover. The Farm Bill increases overall acreage caps for the CRP from 36.4 to 39.2 million acres.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is part of the CRP. It is a voluntary program designed to address specific grassroots environmental issues related to agriculture. The CREP combines the CRP with state programs to provide a framework allowing USDA to work in partnership with state government and local interests. Because the Farm Bill increases acreage caps for the CRP, it will provide more opportunities to create partnership agreements. More information on the CRP and the CREP can be found at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/default.htm .

Conservation Security Program

The Farm Bill creates a new Conservation Security Program to financially recognize ongoing stewardship efforts and to help producers address additional resource concerns on agricultural working lands. The Farm Bill establishes the program for fiscal years 2003 through 2007.

Farmland Protection Program (FPP)

The Farmland Protection Program helps protect prime farmland from conversion to nonagricultural uses. The Farm Bill reauthorizes this program and extends it to nongovernmental organizations, as well as states, tribes and local governments, to purchase conservation easements. It also expands the program to protecting farms and ranches that contain historical and archaeological sites. A request for proposals for $50 million in funding was published in the Federal Register on May 30 and can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/PubNotc.html .

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

The Farm Bill reauthorizes the popular Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to improve fish and wildlife habitat on private lands. Through WHIP, landowners can receive financial and technical assistance to help reverse the trend in the decline of available wildlife habitat and contribute to the recovery of many of the nation's species that currently are at risk. USDA will provide $15 million during fiscal year 2002 to help landowners voluntarily develop habitat on their land. WHIP is offered on a continuous sign-up basis. Applications are available at local USDA service centers, NRCS field offices and conservation districts or on the Web at http://www.sc.egov.usda.gov .

Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D)

The Farm Bill permanently reauthorizes the Resource Conservation and Development Program. The RC&D Program provides tools and technical support that helps local people improve their quality of life, address social, economic and environmental concerns and use natural resources wisely. The focus on local direction and control has made RC&D one of the most successful rural development programs of the Federal Government.

Also included in the Farm Bill are new initiatives that address challenges in water quality and quantity. A new ground and surface water conservation initiative will help farmers improve irrigation, grow less water-intensive crops or convert to dryland farming. A new grassroots sourcewater protection initiative will provide for wellhead and groundwater protection by working with state programs.

Veneman said, "These initiatives are not just short-term remedies, but instead seek to build long-term sustainability."

Information about the Farm Bill can be found at USDA's website http://www.usda.gov/farmbill . A fact sheet called "Conservation Provisions Overview" and detailed information on conservation programs are available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002 .

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