With a
bipartisan vote of 68-32, the Senate today passed the Agricultural Act of 2014.
The House of Representatives passed the bill on January 29, and it now goes on
to the President for signature.
In what is a
major win for conservation, the 2014 Farm Bill includes key provisions to
protect wetlands and native grasslands, and continues effective, voluntary
conservation programs.
“The
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is very pleased that this bill
meets our top priorities. It protects fragile soils and wetlands by linking
conservation compliance to crop insurance and also conserves grasslands in six
prairie states through a regional Sodsaver policy,” said Dan Forster, President
of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and Director of Georgia
Wildlife Resources Division. “We sincerely thank Chairwoman Stabenow and
Ranking Member Cochran for their dedication and leadership, which made this strong
conservation bill possible.”
The farm
bill conservation title is the single, largest federal investment for natural
resources conservation - including fish and wildlife conservation - on private
lands in the nation. The Agricultural Act of 2014 continues funding and
enhances policies for voluntary, private lands conservation, including
conservation easements and the Conservation Reserve Program.
Farm bill
conservation programs are critical to state fish and wildlife agencies for
conserving and improving millions of acres of habitat and for providing
opportunities for hunting and angling. This investment, in turn, helps sustain
rural economies; improve the quality of life through cleaner water, fresher air
and healthier places to live; and provide affordable food and fiber in
environmentally sustainable ways.
“We urge the
President to sign The Agricultural Act of 2014 into law so that critical
conservation efforts can soon resume and so that America’s farmers and ranchers
can have the certainty they need to produce abundant food and fiber,” said
Forster.
