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] ========================= How to Use this Mailing List ========================= You received this e-mail as a result of your registration on the farmbillnews mailing list. To unsubscribe, please send an email to [log in to unmask] In the body of the message type: unsubscribe farmbillnews For a list of other commands and list options, please send email to [log in to unmask] In the body of the message type: help Please direct content questions about this list to: [log in to unmask] Please direct technical questions about this service to: [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]