1990 Farm Bill Forum 



Proceedings 



Western Organization of 

 Resource Councils 



Hellen Waller 



Vice President 



The Western Organization of Resource Councils 

 has member organizations in North Dakota, 

 South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Mon- 

 tana. 



In 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt sent a 

 letter to governors urging uniform soil conser- 

 vation laws. He stated, 'The nation that de- 

 stroys its soil destroys itself." 



Various legislative acts and farm programs 

 since then have attempted to address this issue 

 in a positive way, while other policies have 

 been in direct conflict to good soil and water 

 conservation practices. In that respect, the 1985 

 Food Security Act has been a mixed bag, with 

 some good sections and some provisions 

 creating farming practices detrimental to good 

 soil and water conservation efforts. 



The 1990 Farm Bill debate provides an opportu- 

 nity for us to assess the desirability of current 

 p>olicies and programs, and to make necessary 

 changes. 



Since the 1985 Food Security Act went into 

 effect, almost 500 Montana farmers have gone 

 out of business. Nationwide that number is 

 approximately 400,000. This trend increases the 

 number of management decisions made by 

 non-operators sometimes far removed from the 

 land. 



I believe that if we are serious about better soil 

 and water conservation methods being prac- 

 ticed, it is essential that we preserve an eco- 

 nomically viable family farm system in Ameri- 

 can agriculture. We need to adopt national farm 

 policy that allows the owner-operator the 

 econon^ic flexibility to make management 

 decisions based upon sustainability. 



I would like to identify provisions in the 

 current law which do not promote good 

 stewardship practices, and make recommenda- 

 tions for changes that should be made during 

 the current debate of the 1990 Farm Bill. 



MoDtini CtiaptBr, Soil ind Witar Conttrvitloa Socltty 



33 



The Economic Squeeze 



To the detriment of sustainable practices under 

 the current farm program, the target prices and 

 loan rates on program crops have, on an annual 

 basis, been systematically lowered. To the 

 producer this means less net income per bushel. 

 In order to meet a cashflow, the only way to 

 sur\'ive financially is to increase bushels to 

 maximum production per acre to compensate 

 for the loss in price per bushel. This results in 

 more intensive farming practices with more 

 chemical use based upon a need for greater 

 production rather than an opportunity to 

 practice good land stewardship. 



The increased use of chemicals pKDses a question 

 raised by consumers concerning health risks, as 

 well as concerns of farmers and commercial 

 applicators as to their safety. 



The lack of adequate farm income generated in 

 the marketplace makes some farmers' manage- 

 ment decisions subject to lenders who some- 

 times withhold operating money from farmers 

 who wish to practice more sustainable methods 

 of production. 



Protection of Base Acres 



Because of stipulations in the current farm 



program, a producer sometimes makes planting 



decisions necessary to protect base acreages 



rather than to rotate crops or plant legumes 



which would be a more environmentally sound 



practice. 



Conservation Reserve Program 

 Although the Conservation Reserve Program 

 (CRP) has removed many fragile acres from the 

 production of grain, the land has also produced 

 about as many acres of weeds which continue 

 to tear down neighbors' fences and infest their 

 fields with weed seeds. In some cases very little 

 grass has been established. In some areas there 

 has been a sorry lack of enforcement of the 

 program on the local level. This is not the 

 farmers' fault, but agencies which allow indif- 

 ference toward the intent and discipline of the 

 program. 



Establishment of Farm Plans 

 There is a serious conflict between what is 

 dictated that a farmer must do within their farm 

 plan, and the desire a producer might have to 



Augurt28, 1889 



