99 



determination; and it should provide for the use of an equivalent definition of 

 "wetland" by all federal agencies, even if the establishment of such a definition 

 must await completion of the study of wetlands now underway at the National 

 Academy of Science. 



A national nonpoint-source pollution control program will require a well-trained 

 workforce within USDA and at state and local government levels, with sufficient 

 monetary resources to assist in the development and implementation of water 

 quality plans. Any responsibilities associated with wetland protection included in 

 the reauthorized act will add to these workforce, training, and funding needs. 



Reform of federal farm commodity programs should be pursued to determine how 

 it might contribute to the achievement of national water quality goals. Programs 

 that encourage more sustainable use of land resources, not imlike the 

 Conservation Reserve Program, conservation compUance, and other policies 

 included in the 1985 and 1990 farm bills, for example, could significantly aid 

 national water quality improvement efforts. 



An aggressive, coordinated research and extension program must strive to improve 

 imderstanding of the important cause-and-effect relationships regarding nonpoint- 

 source water quality problems and seek new solutions to those problems. 

 Research will also be needed to evaluate further questions of risk regarding 

 human and environmental health. 



CONTACT 



Norm Berg, SWCS (202) 659-5668 



Doug Kleine, SWCS (515) 259-2331, ext. 13 



Max Schnepf, SWCS (515) 289-2331, ext. 14 



DATE 



Adopted by the SWCS Board of Directors on December 16, 1993 



SOILS 

 AND WATER 

 CONSERVATION 

 SOCIETY 



Soil and Water Conservation Society 

 7515 Northeast Ankeny Road 

 Ankeny, Iowa 50021-9764 

 (515) 289-2331 



