Hearing of Senate Agriculture Committee - Strengthening Conservation Through the 2012 Farm Bill

Statement

Thank you, Madam Chairman. I join you in welcoming all of our panelists. In particular, I thank Dave White for coming to share his insights with the Committee. Over the years, Dave has been a trusted source of insights and advice for me.

As a life-long farmer, I know that good Stewardship is a farmer's duty and is vital to maintaining quality, productive lands. Stewardship is also important for protecting the water our families drink, and the wildlife that we value.

Yes, a farm is a business and must compete, but my family farm like so many other Hoosiers is also an investment in our children and grandchildren. Even as farmers and ranchers seek to be good Stewards of the land, sometimes they do not have sufficient information on improved techniques. Other times the pressure to make ends meet might tip the balance away from long-term investment in the land.

Voluntary conservation programs, which provide financial and technical partnerships with farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who offer to take steps to prevent soil erosion and improve water quality, air quality and wildlife habitat, are important to maintaining quality, productive agricultural land in Indiana and across the United States.

Today, there are more than 20 agricultural conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist private landowners with natural resource concerns. Although there are some similarities among these programs exist, each program is administered with slight differences.

The number of agricultural conservation programs available to U.S. producers has increased steadily over the past 60 years. Early conservation efforts were focused on reducing high levels of soil erosion and providing water to agriculture in quantities and quality that enhanced farm production. Congress responded to these issues by creating and revising programs designed to reduce resource problems on the farm. By the early 1980s, however, concern was growing that these programs were not adequately dealing with environmental problems resulting from agricultural activities. So, in 1985, conservation policy took a new direction when Congress passed the Food Security

Act of 1985, which established the first conservation programs designed to deal with environmental issues resulting from agricultural activities. Over 20 years ago, former Secretary of Agriculture John Block and I announced the first Conservation Reserve Program enrolled acres at ceremonies on the Lugar farm in Marion County, Indiana.

Provisions enacted in subsequent farm bills reflect the evolution of agricultural conservation programs, including the growing influence of non-agricultural interests in the formulation of conservation policy and recognition that agriculture was not treated like other business sectors in many environmental laws. In addition to the original soil erosion and water quality and quantity issues, the conservation agenda has continued to expand to address other natural resource concerns, such as wildlife habitat, air quality, wetlands restoration and protection, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture.

Unfortunately, the minor differences in programs and the number of programs available to producers have created general confusion about the purpose, participation, and policies of the agricultural conservation programs. This is one reason why I introduced the Rural Economic Farm and Ranch Sustainability and Hunger (REFRESH) Act, S. 1658, on October 5, 2011. The REFRESH Act creates real reforms to U.S. farm and food support programs. These reforms create a true producer safety net that will serve more farmers more fairly, while being responsive to regional and national crises that endanger the continuing success of America's farmers. The reforms also improve accuracy and efficiency in federal nutrition programs, while protecting America's hungry. The REFRESH Act accomplishes all of this while saving $40 billion in taxpayer dollars over the next ten years.

The REFRESH Act includes a conservation title that expected to save taxpayers $11 billion over the next 10 years. Conservation programs remain a vital part of Stewardship, future agricultural productivity, and wildlife protection. However, reform is needed to ensure that programs are fiscally sustainable. There are many beneficial steps that can be made in the area of conservation, but we must rigorously examine programs to ensure that real priorities are being met and that expenditures are justified.

The REFRESH Act emphasizes shifting conservation support towards productive use and working lands programs. The bill reorients conservation programs to maximize value by encouraging productive use of land even as we protect hunting ground, rangeland, and conservation value. The REFRESH Act reduces the Conservation Reserve Program, freeing land for productive uses and freeing conservation dollars for better use in long-term protection. The bill also consolidates the sprawling conservation programs into just three principle programs. That will reduce paperwork and cut bureaucratic overlap.

I appreciate the Agriculture Committee taking up conservation opportunities for America in this hearing today. I look forward to working with my colleagues on a strong Farm Bill conservation title, which reduces government overlap and redtape while still ensuring first-rate Stewardship of our land. I offer the REFRESH Act to begin those discussions and ask that it be entered into the record.

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