The Sierra Club supported ending payments for the conversion of marginal
lands into crop land. In the midwest there was a loophole that allowed
farmers to plow up marginal land that was prairie and convert it to a
crop for a year and then plant it in grass and receive payments. The
Durbin amendment closed that loophole.

The Durbin Grasslands and Food Stamp amendment passed 96-1.  Here's a
brief summary of this amendment:

Senator Durbin's (D-IL) amendment would add $1.4 billion over ten years
to restore food stamps eligibility to legal immigrants who have been in
the country for five years. Funds for restoration would come from ending
support payments for the conversion of marginal lands into crop land,
which would help preserve prairie grasslands and wildlife habitats.

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