From: "Niel Ritchie" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 Subject: SUBSIDIES THAT SAVE; EDITORIALS Farm Bill News ([log in to unmask]) Posted: 07/11/2001 By <[log in to unmask]> ============================================= The Ledger (Lakeland, FL) July 7, 2001 SUBSIDIES THAT SAVE; EDITORIALS Farm subsidies -- federal payments to farmers who grow major crops like wheat and corn -- often run counter to the principles of good environmental stewardship. In essence, the federal government ends up subsidizing farm practices that contribute to soil erosion, water pollution and wetland destruction. But, in the past 15 years, a farm-subsidy program that pays farmers not to grow crops -- but to dedicate lands for conservation purposes instead -- has resulted in the establishment of more than 35 million acres of natural reserves and 1 million acres of protected wetlands. The conservation program has proved so popular that farmers have applied for an additional $ 3.7 billion in payments, promising to put another 68 million acres of land into reserve in return. The problem is that the farm-conservation program is out of money. And even though a new farm bill moving through Congress proposes to spend $ 79 billion for subsidies over the next five years, there is resistance from the agribusiness lobby to the idea of diverting funding away from crop payments into conservation. Now, an odd coalition of environmental groups and hunting and fishing organizations -- from the Sierra Club to the National Rifle Association -- has banded together to try to convince Congress to earmark more money for conservation in the new farm bill. It's a worthy purpose that deserves consideration. Moreover, while major crop subsidies tend to benefit large farming operations in the west and Midwest, the conservation program helps smaller farmers in the eastern states, from Florida to Maine. "We could turn this bill into the great conservation bill of the 21st Century," Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wisconsin, a supporter, told The New York Times recently. The NRA, which has an interest in preserving hunting lands, pitches the conservation program as a means to help farmers "hold the line against development." And the Sierra Club touts its environmental benefits. "When farms go into overproduction, you have dirty water and dirty air," said Sierra Club member Brett Hulsey to The Times. "With conservation programs, you have clean water, reduced flooding and more open space." Congress isn't likely to turn off the money tap to major crop producers. But it should also try to minimize the damage done by such artificial supports by continuing to fund the farmland conservation program. It's a program that not only helps farmers, but protects the environment and benefits hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Copyright 2001 Lakeland Ledger Publishing Corporation ### Niel Ritchie, National Organizer Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 2105 First Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612)870-3405 Phone (612)870-4846 Fax http://www.iatp.org ====================== How to Use this Mailing List ====================== To Subscribe, please send an email to [log in to unmask] In the body of the message type: subscribe farmbillnews To view the archive, go to www.iatp.org/listarchive - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]