Now that lawmakers have come to a bipartisan agreement on the Farm Bill, the nation’s largest source of conservation funding, the future looks brighter for fish and wildlife
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]cross the nation, private lands provide essential habitat and public access for America’s hunters and anglers driving a rural outdoor recreation economy worth billions of dollars. To improve the soil health, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat on these lands, the farm bill provides more than $5 billion to support private land conservation.
Some comments about the Farm Bill:
“We’re relieved to see a Farm Bill move forward before this Congress concludes. Every day we go without critical programs for habitat and access, it creates more uncertainty for rural America. With full funding for conservation and increased funding for states to create new walk-in access for hunting and fishing, this bill is a win all around—for sportsmen and women, landowners, wildlife, water quality, and our economy.”
— Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
“The Farm Bill is one of the largest single sources of conservation spending in the federal budget. It represents the single largest federal investment in private-lands conservation, so it is easy to see why it is so important.”
—Paul Phillips, co-chairman of the Boone & Crockett Club’s Conservation Policy Committee
“In short, the new Farm Bill is a victory for the conservation and stewardship of the natural treasures that are America’s ranches, farms and forests. The health of these lands is critical to the success of private landowners, to our economy and to rural communities. The bill’s investment in conservation programs, combined with important forestry provisions, will give landowners tools to protect their land and their way of life.”
—Mark R. Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conservancy
Supercarwaar [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
“This is the first time CRP acres have increased since the 1996 Farm Bill. Part of that is due to the support of our 140,000 members, volunteers, hunters, farmers and landowners making their voices heard in support of a strengthened CRP.”
—Dave Nomsen, vice president of governmental affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
“On behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of Ducks Unlimited, we’d like to thank Congress for their steadfast support of our nation’s wetlands and waterfowl through the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. By providing full-funding for the conservation title, Congress ensures that these voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs will continue to create opportunities to work with farmers, ranchers, and landowners across the country. Without their cooperation, Ducks Unlimited could not reach our goal of filling the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.”
—Dale Hall, CEO of Ducks Unlimited
Read what the Farm Bill does for you . . .
