FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                        Contact: Loni Kemp

  October 17, 2000                                         Phone: (507)
743-8300

                        CONSERVATION SECURITY ACT FORGES A NEW FARM
POLICY:

                    FARMERS TO POCKET DOLLARS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
SOWN

  Canton, MN Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. David Minge
(D-Minnesota) will simultaneously introduce
  a bill to both houses of Congress this week that would establish
significant new incentives for farmers to
  improve their environmental performance.

  "The Conservation Security Act will hopefully become a cornerstone of
the next farm bill," said Congressman Minge. "Now is
  the time for fiscally sound, environmentally friendly conservation
policy that will result in a win-win-win outcome for farmers,
  the environment, and American taxpayers," said Minge.

  "The Conservation Security Act represents a new direction in U.S. farm
policy, rewarding farmers who produce clean water
  and healthy soil along with crops," said Loni Kemp, Senior Policy
Analyst at The Minnesota Project, a non-profit center
  working on the Farm Bill.

  "It deserves to be a centerpiece of the next farm bill. Now, farmers
are forced to feel like they get a hand out each year from
  Congress. This bill would pay farmers for taking good care of the
land, because that benefits us all," Kemp said. Kemp
  serves as Co-Chair of the National Campaign for Sustainable
Agriculture, which includes 2000 farm, food and environmental
  groups working on federal agriculture policy. The group has made
stewardship incentives a top priority for the next farm bill.

  "Current farm policies are in chaos," said David Benson, an organic
farmer and Nobles County Commissioner. "This new
  approach says our tax dollars should support farmers for the multiple
benefits they provide to society. Many farmers are
  already doing a great job taking care of the land. This bill
guarantees that additional farmers can join them. Representative
  Minge and Senator Harkin have kick-started the discussion on how to
make the farm program work for farmers, taxpayers,
  and the environment," said Benson.

  Under the bill, three levels of payments are established, with the
highest level going to farmers who implement the greatest
  number of conservation practices. The Conservation Security Act
rewards traditional soil, water, and wildlife practices as
  well as critical emerging issues like climate change, preservation of
genetic diversity in food crops, and invasive species
  management. The bill complements current conservation programs by
creating payments for conservation practices on
  working land.

  "This is the missing piece," said Kemp. "Many conservation programs
pay farmers for not farming -- to get wildlife benefits
  and cleaner water. Now we could also have a conservation program that
rewards farmers for farming well," said Kemp.

  The bill opens the door to all farms, unlike past programs that
focused on a few commodity crops. If enacted, this program
  will include organic farms, livestock farms with pasture and hay, as
well as fruit and vegetable producers.

  Congressman Minge and Senator Harkin expect this approach to receive
full consideration in the next session of Congress.
  Minnesota Representatives Collin Peterson and Gil Gutknecht are also
cosponsoring the bill.                                 END --

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