1990 Farm Bill Forum 



Proceedings 



Wetlands 



• Amend swampbustcr provisions to require 

 the restoration of converted wetlands prior to 

 being eligible for USDA program benefits. 

 Currently, a swampbuster can maintain eligibil- 

 ity by not planting an annually tilled crop on 

 converted wetlands. 



Water Quality 



• Include pro\isions in the 1990 Farm Bill for 

 testing groundwater resources in order to 

 expand our knowledge base of the resource and 

 threats to its quality. 



• Nonpoint source p>ollution, particularly sedi- 

 ment, is the predominant cause of water quality 

 degradation in many of the nation's rivers, 

 lakes, and reser\-oirs. Pro\-isions to reduce 

 nonpHDint source pollution should be included 

 in Title XII of the 1990 Farm Bill. 



Agricultural Subsidies 



• The 1990 Farm Bill should begin to address 

 the conflicts between supply management 

 policies and conser\'ation initiatives. Annual 

 changes in acreage set-aside requirements make 

 it difficult for farmers to apply long-term 

 conservation measures to their farmlands. We 

 believe that farmers should be allowed the 

 option of choosing multiyear set-asides without 

 loss of program benefits. 



Riparian Areas 



• According to the June 1988 GAO report, 

 "Public Rangelands — Some Riparian Areas 

 Restored but Widespread Improvement Will be 

 Slow," a major deterrent to widespread im- 

 provement of degraded publicly owned ripar- 

 ian areas is the lack of adequate funding to fully 

 implement the Bureau of Land Management 

 and Forest Service policies for improving 

 riparian areas. We urge adequate funding be 

 provided so that existing policies can be fully 

 implemented to protect these resources. In 

 addition, these agencies should be directed to 

 inventory the amount, condition, and trend of 

 public riparian areas and develop measurable 

 goals for restoring degraded areas. 



Low Input Sustainable Agriculture 



• Include incentives in the 1990 Farm Bill for 

 the adoption of low-input sustainable farming 



MoDtani Ctiaptw, SoD ind Witsr ConttrvitloD Society 



techniques. 



• Direct USDA to expand research and educa- 

 tion efforts in the area of low-input agricultural 

 practices. 



Noxious Weed Management 



• Develop and implement a national policy on 

 noxious weed management which encourages 

 the development and use of biological control 

 methods. 



Coordinated Resource Management 



This process for bringing people together has to 

 receive more national emphasis and support. It 

 needs to be broader in focus to include all 

 environmental issues and the p>eople that can 

 work out reasonable alternatives and solutions 

 to our national resource concerns. 



Management of Rangeland Watersheds 



This country depends heavily on western 

 rangelands for water quantity and quality. The 

 upland watershed management is crucial to our 

 water supplies. If these lands lack the adequate 

 cover necessary to retain or store water, then 

 the result is accelerated erosion and a signifi- 

 cant effect on water quality. The 1990 Farm Bill 

 should place a stronger commitment toward 

 this issue. In addition, ground water supplies 

 should be inventoried and tested for water 

 quality. 



1990 Farm Bill 



Provisions in the 1990 Farm Bill should be made 

 to allow groups, individuals, organizations, 

 agencies, etc., to lease established CRP ground 

 for wildlife preservation. On a voluntary basis, 

 landowners could enter into an agreement to 

 retain the CRP ground and in return would 

 receive monetary compensation or incentive. 



Other recommendations 



• Extend the USDA cost-sharing programs. 

 Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP) and 

 the Great Plains Conservation Program (GPCP) 

 with appropriate modifications to address 

 water quality concerns, noxious weed control, 

 and the need to raise the cost-share limits due 

 to the increased costs of applying needed con- 

 servation treatment. 



32 



August Z8,1 888 



