2007 Farm Bill  

Position: Support

Status:  The Farm Bill is a massive reauthorization package introduced every 5 years. While the vast majority of spending is for Agricultural needs, there is significant funding for wildlife and habitat restoration. The 2002 Farm Bill contained about $20 billion dollars for wildlife and habitat funding.

The goal of the 2007 Farm Bill, with respect to conservation measures, is to improve and increase funding of USDA conservation programs to better serve farmers, the environment, and all U.S. citizens. Farm Bill conservation programs represent the opportunity to properly manage lands for soil, water, and wildlife resources.

Listed below are programs and suggestions from the American Wildlife Conservation Partners – a consortium of over 40 U.S. conservation and wildlife groups, including SCI.

Talking Points:

  • Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – Reauthorize USDA’s most successful conservation program and ensure the competitive viability of the program. Overall CRP acreage should expand to 45 million acres.
  • Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - Increase America’s number one wetlands restoration program to 300,000 acres per year to improve wetlands conservation, mitigate wetlands loss, provide migratory bird and fisheries habitat and improve water quality.
  • Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) - Increase GRP to 2 million acres per year. Require that a minimum of 60 percent of the agreements are long term easements of 30 years or more. Provide incentives for large tract non cropland native grasslands.
  • Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) - Gradually increase WHIP funding from $100 to $300 million over the course of the 2007 Farm Bill with a significant portion of new funds targeted for aquatic restoration activities, including instream habitat improvement projects.
  • Forestry - Increase technical, education, and outreach to forest landowners through existing programs such as the Forest Stewardship Program and others. In the 2002 Farm Bill, Congress provided $100 million for cost-sharing of forest management practices on private lands and promotion of long-term healthy forest ecosystems. We urge the Department to, at a minimum, support restoring this funding in the upcoming Farm Bill. This will enhance management for fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation and timber production. Increase funding for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program and modify HFRP to include options for permanent easements.
  • Access – Include a provision to provide $20 million per year in grants to fund state-managed voluntary access programs – “Open Fields Programs.” Program funds shall be used to enhance wildlife management and improve recreational opportunities.
  • Conservation Security Program (CSP) – Reauthorize CSP and ensure it provides increased measurable and consistent benefits for fish and wildlife conservation. CSP should require fish and wildlife habitat improvement components for all program tiers.
  • Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) – Reauthorize at $300 million per year. Allow transfer of water rights on enrolled land consistent with state law. Allow landowners the right to prohibit non cropland conversion on land subject to the easement.
  • Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – Increase allocation percentages for fish and wildlife practices, and increase opportunities for private forestland owners.
  • Biofuels and Renewable Energy. Research and development funding should promote the next generation of biofuels and renewable energy technology based on sustainable polycultures that are consistent with fish, wildlife, soil, nutrient management and water conservation goals. Taxpayer investment in conservation and wildlife gains accomplished during the past 20 years under farm bill conservation programs should not be sacrificed or diminished.
  • “Sodsaver” or Non-cropland Conversion – Any land that does not meet the definition of cropland, as determined by the USDA/Farm Service Agency, converted from non cropland status to cropland should be made ineligible for any federal benefit, including but not limited to price and income support payments, crop insurance, disaster payments, conservation program enrollment, and FSA farm loan benefits. To preserve its identity, non cropland converted to cropland shall be reconstituted as a separate farm by FSA.
  • Conservation Compliance – Sodbuster/swampbuster compliance should be linked to all federal farm program benefits including crop insurance and disaster program eligibility. A farm shall be ineligible to receive federal benefits for the year noncompliance is discovered. Following year eligibility may be approved if noncompliance is rectified and restoration certified within 6 months of discovery.
  • Conservation Performance Measures – Identify and authorize specific mechanisms for tracking the success of conservation measures.

Background Data: Outdoor recreation annually contributes a whopping $730 billion to the United States economy and supports 6.1 million jobs. Included among these totals, hunting annually generates $34 billion in total economic output and supports 322,000 jobs, while fishing adds $61 billion and 586,000 jobs. Waterfowl hunters spend $1 billion annually and support more than 21,000 jobs.

ATTACHMENT:  Primer on Farm Bill Wildlife Conservation Programs

Land factoids:

  • The U.S. contains 2.4 billion acres; subtracting Alaska and Hawaii, there are about 1.9 billion acres in the lower 48; of that --
    • About one-quarter (546 million acres) are federal public lands
    • About one-fifth (382 million acres) are private crop lands
    • About one-quarter (525 million acres) are private grazing lands
    • In total, private crop and grazing lands occupy about 48% (907 million acres) of the lower 48.

CRP (Conservation Reserve Program):

  • This is the original Farm Bill wildlife conservation program. It was adopted in 1985 with an authorization to enroll 45 million acres. This is about 12% of the total crop and grazing lands in the lower 48.
  • That authorization was later capped at 36.2 million acres by Congress, and then increased by Congress to the current level of 39.2 million acres (slightly more than the size of Georgia).
  • CRP is especially important where cropland has replaced grassland on marginal soils; for example, in the Prairie Pothole region, 56 million acres (60%) of the original grassland has been converted to other land uses.
  • CRP has had measurable benefits for waterfowl, pheasants and songbirds. Over 2 million acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats have been restored under CRP.
  • CRP has increased hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities, thereby funneling billions of dollars into rural economies.
  • CRP provides annual rental payments and other financial incentives. Lands are offered by farmers and ranchers in a competitive bidding process in which the lands are scored nationally using an Environmental Benefit Index. Contracts range from 10 years for most practices to 15 years for a few “higher value” practices such as tree planting or wetlands restoration.
  • Enrollment in CRP and related programs is limited to 25% of cropland, county by county.
  • Demand for enrollment is three times the amount of authorized acreage.
  • The success and popularity of CRP led to the development of a series of more specialized conservation programs, which are outlined below.
  • Additional related programs are the CCRP (Continuous Conservation Reserve Program) which allows enrollment throughout the year of small areas of land essentially for water and soil improvement, and CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program), which targets watercourses and highly erodible farmland and requires state/federal agreements to be in place authorizing enrollment of a specific number of acres in specific watersheds.

CSP (Conservation Security Program)

  • Rewards farmers meeting the highest standards of land and water stewardship.
  • Has three payment levels (tiers), with the highest payments and longest contracts (up to 10 years) going to farms that address all resources on the entire farm.

EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program)

  • Established in 1996; Provides technical and financial assistance for erosion control, animal waste management, water management, and other natural resource conservation while allowing continued agricultural production.

WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program)

  • Fills in gaps in the larger programs.
  • Aids habitat conservation for endangered species and addresses habitat needs of declining species, such as the prairie chicken.
  • 75% cost-share for fish and wildlife habitat improvements under 5-10 year agreements.

FRPP (Farm and Ranchland Protection Program)

  • Keeps unique, productive parcels of farm and ranchland in production, limits urban sprawl, and increases educational and recreational opportunities.
  • Utilizes permanent easements in which the government provides 50% of the funds to purchase development rights.

GRP (Grasslands Reserve Program)

  • Added to the Farm Bill in 2004; restores and enhances grasslands.
  • Almost all the tall-grass prairie has been converted to farmland since the 1800’s, and mid-grass and short-grass prairie lands are being increasingly fragmented.
  • Utilizes permanent easements (government pays fair market value, less value of grassland); 30-year easements (government pays 30% of fair market value, less grassland value); or rental payments (75% of grazing value) for anywhere from 10 years to 30 years.
  • Also involves restoration agreements in which government pays part of the cost of restoring grasslands.

WRP (Wetlands Reserve Program) and WREP (Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program)

  • Restores, enhances and protects wetlands in marginal and flood-prone cropland.
  • Established in the 1990 Farm Bill.
  • Enrollment is currently capped at about 2.3 million acres; demand for enrollment is three times that.
  • Waterfowl, turkeys, white-tailed deer, non-game birds, and black bear benefit from WRP acreage.
  • Uses permanent easements (USDA pays 100% of cost of improvements), 30-year easements (USDA pays 75%), and Restoration Cost-share Agreements (10-year agreements, USDA pays 75%).

Archery Trade Association *
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies *
Bear Trust International *
Boone and Crockett Club *
Bowhunting Preservation Alliance *
Campfire Club of America *
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation *
Conservation Force *
Dallas Safari Club *
Delta Waterfowl *
Ducks Unlimited *
Foundation of North American Wild Sheep *
Houston Safari Club *
Izaak Walton League of America *
Mule Deer Foundation *
North American Bear Foundation *
North American Grouse Partnership *
National Rifle Association *
National Shooting Sports Foundation *
National Trappers Association *
National Wild Turkey Federation *
Orion The Hunters’ Institute *
Pheasants Forever *
Pope and Young Club *
Quail Forever *
Quail Unlimited *
Quality Deer Management Association *
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation *
Ruffed Grouse Society *
Safari Club International *
Texas Wildlife Association *
The Wildlife Society *
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership *
US Sportsmen’s Alliance *
Wildlife Forever *
Wildlife Management Institute

March 30, 2007

The Honorable Mike Johanns
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Room 200-A Witten Bldg.
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Johanns:

The following organizations offer these recommendations as top priorities for inclusion in the conservation title of the 2007 Farm Bill. We are all members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) and collectively we represent millions of our Nations’ sportsmen and sportswomen. Farm Bill conservation programs represent the opportunity to properly manage lands for soil, water, and wildlife resources. We appreciate the Departments’ long history of support for conservation programs which benefit wildlife, and we are mindful of the unprecedented competition for dollars as you develop this farm bill. With this in mind, the organizations listed below would appreciate your consideration of these priorities should funding resources allow:

American Wildlife Conservation Partners
Conservation Priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill

  • Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – Reauthorize USDA’s most successful conservation program and ensure the competitive viability of the program. Overall CRP acreage should expand to 45 million acres.
  • Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - Increase America’s number one wetlands restoration program to 300,000 acres per year to improve wetlands conservation, mitigate wetlands loss, provide migratory bird and fisheries habitat and improve water quality.
  • Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) - Increase GRP to 2 million acres per year. Require that a minimum of 60 percent of the agreements are long term easements of 30 years or more. Provide incentives for large tract non cropland native grasslands.
  • Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) - Gradually increase the WHIP funding from $100 million to $300 million over the course of the 2007 Farm Bill with a significant portion of new funds targeted for aquatic restoration activities, including instream habitat improvement projects. Enhance conservation partnerships and program benefits by incorporating the assistance of states, municipalities and non-government organizations to deliver and manage WHIP.
  • Access – Include a provision based upon “Open Fields” legislation, S. 548/H.R. 1351 in 109th Congress, to provide $20 million per year in grants to fund state-managed voluntary access programs. Program funds shall be used to enhance wildlife management and improve recreational opportunities on land enrolled in farm bill conservation programs.
  • Forestry - Increase technical, education, and outreach to forest landowners through existing programs such as the Forest Stewardship Program and others. In the 2002 Farm Bill, Congress provided $100 million for cost-sharing of forest management practices on private lands and promote long-term healthy forest ecosystems. We urge the Department to, at a minimum, support restoring this funding in the upcoming Farm Bill. This will enhance management for fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation and timber production. Increase funding for the Healthy Forests Reserve Program and modify HFRP to include options for permanent easements.
  • Conservation Security Program (CSP) – Reauthorize CSP and ensure it provides increased measurable and consistent benefits for fish and wildlife conservation. CSP should require fish and wildlife habitat improvement components for all program tiers and require that NRCS engage federal and state fish and wildlife agencies and non-government conservation organizations when developing fish and wildlife and habitat criteria and assessments. CSP should enhance other USDA conservation programs and not replace or reduce their funding.
  • Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) – Reauthorize at $300 million per year. Allow transfer of water rights on enrolled land consistent with state law. Allow landowners the right to prohibit non cropland conversion on land subject to the easement.
  • Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – Reauthorize EQIP, increase allocation percentages for fish and wildlife practices, and increase opportunities for private forestland owners.
  • Biofuels and Renewable Energy. Research and development funding should promote the next generation of biofuels and renewable energy technology based on sustainable polycultures that are consistent with fish, wildlife, soil, nutrient management and water conservation goals. Taxpayer investment in conservation and wildlife gains accomplished during the past 20 years under farm bill conservation programs should not be sacrificed or diminished.
  • “Sodsaver” or Non-cropland Conversion – Any land that does not meet the definition of cropland, as determined by the USDA/Farm Service Agency, converted from non cropland status to cropland should be made ineligible for any federal benefit, including but not limited to price and income support payments, crop insurance, disaster payments, conservation program enrollment, and FSA farm loan benefits. To preserve its identity, non cropland converted to cropland shall be reconstituted as a separate farm by FSA.
  • Conservation Compliance – Sodbuster/swampbuster compliance should be linked to all federal farm program benefits including crop insurance and disaster program eligibility. A farm shall be ineligible to receive federal benefits for the year noncompliance is discovered. Following year eligibility may be approved if noncompliance is rectified and restoration certified within 6 months of discovery.
  • Conservation Performance Measures – Identify and authorize specific mechanisms for tracking the success of conservation measures.

Secretary Johanns, we look forward to working with you toward a strong array of federal farm conservation programs as part of the 2007 Farm Bill. We respectfully request your support for the priorities we have outlined. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

Archery Trade Association
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Bear Trust International
Boone and Crockett Club
Bowhunting Preservation Alliance
Campfire Club of America
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Conservation Force
Dallas Safari Club
Delta Waterfowl
Ducks Unlimited
Foundation of North American Wild Sheep
Houston Safari Club
Izaak Walton League of America
Mule Deer Foundation
North American Bear Foundation
North American Grouse Partnership
National Rifle Association
National Shooting Sports Foundation
National Trappers Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
Orion The Hunters’ Institute
Pheasants Forever
Pope and Young Club
Quail Forever
Quail Unlimited
Quality Deer Management Association
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Ruffed Grouse Society
Safari Club International
Texas Wildlife Association
The Wildlife Society
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
US Sportsmen’s Alliance
Wildlife Forever
Wildlife Management Institute

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