Comparison of US ag conservation proposals
Date: 01-Oct-01
Country: USA
Conservation programs now get about $1.8 billion a year. The House Agriculture Committee would increase it by an average of $1.65 billion a year. The rival plan would boost it by an additional $1.9 billion, taken from crop supports, for a total of $5.4 billion.
The major elements were:
- Environmental Quality Incentive Program; shares cost of controlling manure, nutrient and pesticide runoff. Now gets $170 million or so per year.
Committee proposes total of $1.2 billion a year.
The rival plan by New York Republican Sherwood Boehlert would provide another $1 billion a year and would create a Water Quality Incentive Program aimed at wellheads and drinking-water supplies.
- Conservation Reserve; pays farmers to idle environmentally fragile land for 10 years. At present, 33.5 million acres enrolled, cap set at 36.5 million acres.
Committee would allow 39.5 million acres, wind turbines and biomass harvesting allowed at reduced rental rates.
Boehlert amendment allows 45 million acres. Until Dec. 31, 2007, at least 7 million acres would be dedicated to buffer strips, grassways and other high-priority projects or for federal-state Conservation Reserve Enhancement projects that offer farmers higher rent to protect waterways.
- Grassland Reserve; no program at present.
Committee proposes 2 million acres or virgin or restored grasslands. Contracts for 10, 15 or 20 years or easements running 30 years or permanently.
Boehlert proposed 3 million acres of grasslands, shrubs and bluffs, half of it from permanent easements. Grazing and haying allowed if it does not threaten native plants or birds.
- Wetlands Reserve; pays farmers to idle wetlands; enrollment has reached cap of 975,000 acres; backlog of 561,000 acres.
Committee proposes allowing 150,000 acres per year or 1.5 million total.
Boehlert proposes 250,000 acres a year enrollment.
- Farmland Protection Program; shares cost of buying conservation easements to keep land in farms. Backlog of $164 million in requests.
Committee proposes $50 million a year, on average.
Boehlert proposes average of $400 million a year.
- Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program; helps landowners improve wildlife habitat. Backlog of $19.2 million.
Committee proposes $25 million a year.
Boehlert proposes $300 million a year.
