NFU Statement: Salazar to Lead Interior Department — 12|18|08
Friday, January 16, 2009
Conservation
National Farmers Union urges continuation of the conservation programs established in the 2002 Farm Bill and encourages further investigation into new programs that benefit the environment, family farmers and ranchers, and rural America. By coupling the environmental needs of our farm lands with the socioeconomic goals of our farming communities, the new farm bill stands to reward stewardship, discourage speculative development of fragile land resources and strengthen family farming.
Rewarding family farmers for making good environmental choices should be a top priority in farm policy, since society benefits from farmers who adapt farming practices that enhance water quality, wildlife habitat, energy conservation, bio-diversity and carbon sequestration.
CRP
NFU fully supports the Environmental Conservation Acreage Reduction Program (ECARP), and full funding for its three branches, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the wetlands reserve Program and the Water Quality Incentives Program.
We favor CRP contracts and contract extensions for periods of not less than 10 years, and not less than 15 years for land that is a critical habitat for endangered species. Ownership of CRP lands should remain in the hands of resident family farm and ranch operators.
The CRP program should be closely monitored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency with enough funding to enforce contract requirements for adequate weed, insect and fire control. Landowners have the right to collect hunting or recreational fees on land enrolled in the CRP program.
All CRP lands currently enrolled in the program should be re-evaluated for contract re-enrollment with the most environmentally sensitive lands being given the first opportunity for re-enrollment, such as timber and forestry conservation land.
In times of extended drought conditions or other weather disasters, haying or grazing on CRP acres should be allocated to all livestock producers based on need, with up to one-third of CRP acres being used to replenish feed supplies.
CSP
The Conservation Security Program (CSP) was written in the 2002 Farm Bill as a full, nationwide and unrestricted program. It is one of the most innovative attempts at rewarding producers for conservation practices on working lands and should be fully funded and implemented as written in the 2002 law. 
