National Association of Conservation Districts

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACD APPLAUDS ADDITIONAL USDA SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

NACD President Steve Robinson, a producer from Marysville, Ohio, today issued the following statement following USDA's release of a new crop insurance agreement and the resulting additional funding for conservation programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—June 10, 2010—"Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the final draft of a new crop insurance agreement, which will yield $6 billion in savings. Two-thirds of the savings will go towards deficit reduction and the remaining one-third will support high priority risk management and conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

"These additional funds will increase Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage to the maximum authorized level. The National Association of Conservation Districts and our members are pleased to see this support for a critical conservation program. This will benefit landowners, wildlife, water quality and the climate.

"USDA plans to hold a general sign-up for CRP this summer and as long as landowner interest is there, these funds will increase the sign-up from 2.9 million acres to more than 4 million acres. Over the coming year, USDA will also be able to devote some CRP acreage to targeted enrollments—such as continuous and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs—that benefit particular wildlife species, watersheds or other resources of national or regional importance.

"Our member conservation districts will continue to work with our partners at USDA's Farm Service Agency to help landowners understand the benefits of participating in the Conservation Reserve Program. Again, we are encouraged to see this additional support for such an important conservation program.”

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The National Association of Conservation Districts is the non-profit organization that represents the nation's 3,000 conservation districts and 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For almost 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. NACD's website is at www.nacdnet.org.