Post by Woody Williams on Oct 18, 2005 10:35:27 GMT -5
Conservation Programs in Danger of Unfair Cuts
This Wednesday the Senate Agriculture Committee is going to make very important decisions regarding the conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and contained in the 2002 Farm Bill. Congress is in the midst of what's known as "budget reconciliation" – looking for spending cuts to get the overall budget books a little better balanced. The Agriculture Committee has been tasked with finding $3 billion in savings in the agricultural programs it oversees.
Unfortunately the committee is looking at making some of those savings with disproportionately large cuts to a number of the conservation programs sportsmen and women value so highly. Of course it's only fair to spread the pain around, and the current budget problems mean everyone has to give a little – but the size of the cuts to the conservation oriented programs are out of proportion to the cuts being proposed for other agricultural programs.
The TRCP's lead partner organizations are very concerned that cuts being contemplated will do lasting harm to programs including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Security Program (CSP). Together these programs and others like the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) create and conserve millions of acres of fish and wildlife habitat. They have been hugely successful and certainly proven themselves worthy of funding.
If you act before Wednesday you can help point the Senate Agriculture Committee in a better direction by letting them know that America's millions of sportsmen and women are strong supporters of the conservation programs contained in the Farm Bill, and that you want them to be cut in equal proportion to cuts being made to other Farm Bill agriculture programs.
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Disproportionate Cuts to Conservation Programs
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
As an American who loves to spend time outdoors hunting and fishing I have benefited tremendously from the various conservation programs administered by the Department of Agriculture. The millions of acres of habitat created and conserved by programs in the 2002 Farm Bill such as the Conservation Reserve Program have made the farms and ranches around where I live more fish and wildlife friendly and I know farmers and ranchers have taken pride in implementing these programs while getting a desperately needed financial shot in the arm.
I understand the need to find savings in these difficult budget times we are facing, but I am concerned that the cuts you are contemplating in the "Agriculture Reconciliation Act of 2005" hit conservation programs much harder than they do other agricultural programs. Farm Bill conservation program cuts should be proportional to reductions in other 2002 authorized Farm Bill programs. Conservation programs comprise 8 percent of total ag! ricultural funding authorized under the 2002 Farm Bill, while commodity programs account for approximately 30 percent.
The 2002 Farm Bill conservation programs have provided agricultural producers the ability to diversify their operations by enrolling marginal lands, boost fish and wildlife habitat conservation, create cleaner water and air, and reduce soil erosion. No one can attest to these benefits better then me and my millions of fellow sportsmen and sportswomen. The Farm Bill programs have been perhaps the greatest habitat boon to hunters and anglers in the last 20 years. If you have to cut the conservation programs, please make the cuts fair and in proportion to cuts made in other agricultural programs.
Sincerely,
To join... trcp.ga0.org/trcp/join.html?r=gpaaYf11HmQjE
This Wednesday the Senate Agriculture Committee is going to make very important decisions regarding the conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and contained in the 2002 Farm Bill. Congress is in the midst of what's known as "budget reconciliation" – looking for spending cuts to get the overall budget books a little better balanced. The Agriculture Committee has been tasked with finding $3 billion in savings in the agricultural programs it oversees.
Unfortunately the committee is looking at making some of those savings with disproportionately large cuts to a number of the conservation programs sportsmen and women value so highly. Of course it's only fair to spread the pain around, and the current budget problems mean everyone has to give a little – but the size of the cuts to the conservation oriented programs are out of proportion to the cuts being proposed for other agricultural programs.
The TRCP's lead partner organizations are very concerned that cuts being contemplated will do lasting harm to programs including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Security Program (CSP). Together these programs and others like the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) create and conserve millions of acres of fish and wildlife habitat. They have been hugely successful and certainly proven themselves worthy of funding.
If you act before Wednesday you can help point the Senate Agriculture Committee in a better direction by letting them know that America's millions of sportsmen and women are strong supporters of the conservation programs contained in the Farm Bill, and that you want them to be cut in equal proportion to cuts being made to other Farm Bill agriculture programs.
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Disproportionate Cuts to Conservation Programs
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
As an American who loves to spend time outdoors hunting and fishing I have benefited tremendously from the various conservation programs administered by the Department of Agriculture. The millions of acres of habitat created and conserved by programs in the 2002 Farm Bill such as the Conservation Reserve Program have made the farms and ranches around where I live more fish and wildlife friendly and I know farmers and ranchers have taken pride in implementing these programs while getting a desperately needed financial shot in the arm.
I understand the need to find savings in these difficult budget times we are facing, but I am concerned that the cuts you are contemplating in the "Agriculture Reconciliation Act of 2005" hit conservation programs much harder than they do other agricultural programs. Farm Bill conservation program cuts should be proportional to reductions in other 2002 authorized Farm Bill programs. Conservation programs comprise 8 percent of total ag! ricultural funding authorized under the 2002 Farm Bill, while commodity programs account for approximately 30 percent.
The 2002 Farm Bill conservation programs have provided agricultural producers the ability to diversify their operations by enrolling marginal lands, boost fish and wildlife habitat conservation, create cleaner water and air, and reduce soil erosion. No one can attest to these benefits better then me and my millions of fellow sportsmen and sportswomen. The Farm Bill programs have been perhaps the greatest habitat boon to hunters and anglers in the last 20 years. If you have to cut the conservation programs, please make the cuts fair and in proportion to cuts made in other agricultural programs.
Sincerely,
To join... trcp.ga0.org/trcp/join.html?r=gpaaYf11HmQjE