The Environmental Working Group is paying close attention to the process of developing the new Farm Bill. Craig Cox, Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, says the conservation provisions of the Farm Bill represent a big opportunity to help farmers deal with the more serious issues they’re going to face regarding quality of life
The EW G would like to see the conservation title organized to help agriculture get out in front of what could become difficult environmental issues to deal with. The group built a database that shows what conservation programs are funding in terms of conservation practices in every county across the country. They say conservation programs need more focus.
Cox says those changes to the conservation program could be implemented with small changes. The Group is putting together a study of the nation’s drinking water utilities and communities with elevated levels of nitrates. They’re using the data to see if the protective practices that would reduce nitrate loading are the ones given priority. Cox says that’s not the case.
Cox says some of the things they want to be emphasized in the new Farm Bill include cover crops as part of the conservation title.
The Environmental Working Group also thinks it’s time to renegotiate the Conservation Compliance provisions in the Conservation Title.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.