Dayton Praises Selection of Five Minnesota Watersheds for 2005 Conservation Security Program

Dayton Praises Selection of Five Minnesota Watersheds for 2005 Conservation Security Program

Approximately 8,400 local farms eligible for voluntary USDA land stewardship program.

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mark Dayton announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has selected five Minnesota watersheds for its 2005 Conservation Security Program. The program, authorized under the 2002 Farm Bill, which Dayton supported, provides payments to eligible farmers for maintaining and enhancing the natural resources on their working farm land.

"I am pleased that the Conservation Security Program has been extended this year to include five Minnesota watersheds, helping pave the way for more than 8,400 eligible local farms to participate in land stewardship," said Dayton. "This important program helps Minnesota farmers implement conservation efforts to improve soil and water quality on their working farm lands and promote wildlife habitats.

"Additionally, new incentives will reward Minnesota farmers for converting to renewable fuels such as soy biodiesel and ethanol, recycling 100 percent of on-farm lubricants, and implementing new renewable energy production."