From: "Farm Bill News" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Wetland Reserve Program Update

Farm Bill News ([log in to unmask])
Posted: 03/05/2001  By  [log in to unmask]
============================================================
This is an information note on WRP as it relates the preliminary data from
the Administrations tentative budget for FY 2002.

The Administration has decided not to continue the Wetlands Reserve Program
(WRP).

In its efforts to reduce cut the USDA budget and provide a larger tax
reduction, programs that are complete are not renewed (i.e., would need
reauthorization language in the budget to be continued).  See
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/usbudget/blueprint/bud16.html,
"Completed and Reformed Programs:."

The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Forestry Incentive Program
also are in the group to be eliminated. The FY2002 budget "Blueprint" only
includes the outline for the budget and total amounts allocated to each
department. The detailed budget showing how much each agency will be
allocated is not scheduled to be released until April 3 - after the tax
reduction bill has passed. Once the tax cut bill is passed, there will not
be any "new" funds available to restore unbudgeted programs or fund new ones
without taking money from some other program.

The final year of WRP enrollment is underway. The $164,000,000 available for
enrollment of 140,000 acres into the WRP in FY 2001 has been allocated to
the states. The 1,075,000 acre authorized cap for the program will be
reached this year.

The current unfunded backlog of eligible project applications
exceeds 570,000 acres on more than 3,000 separate farms and ranches across
the nation. Although many Senators and Representatives recognize the value
of WRP in restoring valuable wetland functions, taking much relatively
unproductive and flood prone land out of production, and in provided needed
funds to help farm families, individuals and the leadership do not seem to
be willing to insist on continued funding for the program.

For more information on WRP see http://wl.fb-net.org/

Terry Z. Riley
Director of Conservation
Wildlife Management Institute
1101 Fourteenth Street, NW, Suite 801
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-1808
FAX:  (202) 408-5059
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
----------
Kristen Corselius
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
2105 First Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404 USA
Tel: (612) 870-3421
Fax: (612) 870-4846
Email: [log in to unmask]
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