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Posts Tagged ‘Conservation’
Monday, December 19th, 2011
he publication of the recent BASF Farm Perspectives Survey reveals a consumer base that is interested in and respectful of farmers and the farm sector.
The survey, which interviewed almost 2,000 farmers and over 6,000 consumers in the United States, Brazil, France, Germany, India, and Spain, revealed many deep misgivings about farming, but also a great deal of popular support.
Despite the farming populations of most of these industrial or post-industrial nations being small, less than 2 percent of several of these country’s populations, personal respect for farmers remains high, with many consumers and farmers agreeing that their job involves “feeding the world.” In addition, many farmers and consumers tended to associate farming with protecting rural culture and caring for the land.
However, the study did reveal several misgivings about the farm sector. A significant minority of consumers, about 20 percent in Germany and the United States and between 30 and 40 percent in India, France, and Brazil, blame farmers and agricultural production for environmental degradation.
Another problem revealed by the study were the attitudes consumers held towards conservation and the environment. A large minority in all the countries surveyed were unwilling to pay higher prices in order to obtain sustainable and environmentally friendly crops. Some farmers expressed frustration at these conflicting positions held by consumers (who blamed farmers for environmental problems but are unwilling to pay to fix them).
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: careers, Conservation, environmentalism, farming
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Saturday, December 17th, 2011
Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service Director David White gave a speech to Michigan Farmers at an agricultural banquet. In his speech, he praised conservation programs and lauded farmers, whom he credited with making conservation programs and environmental protection programs possible.
As budget debates in Congress heat up, federal agencies are preparing for significant funding cuts. The USDA in particular has been singled out in austerity talks. Having already seen its budget reduced over the past year, the USDA is expected to absorb further funding reductions. The upcoming Farm Bill is expected to cut at least $20 billion from agricultural programs.
At the forefront of these budget cuts are conservation programs, which have seen their budgets shrink by millions of dollars. While White’s speech was ostensibly to praise farmers for their willingness to embrace conservation programs, which he did, praising the “commitment and stewardship… farmers [have],” he also addressed the importance of the conservation movement as a whole.
During his talk, he pointed out hundreds of government-funded projects across the country that have helped reduce erosion, improve water quality, and protect wildlife. These programs not only help the environment, he argued, but also benefit farmers and help create a stronger farm sector.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, usda
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Sunday, December 11th, 2011
Many rural farmers have questioned the utility of the Conservation Reserve Program. The program, begun in the 1980s and initially imagined in the wake of the Dust Bowl, was created to improve soil quality, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and inject money into struggling rural areas. Conservationists, environmentalists, and many farmers claim that conservation efforts have been a huge success, improving soil and water conditions, reducing pollution, and helping struggling wildlife species.
However, the CRP’s future is currently unclear. In the wake of Congress’ deficit concerns, conservation programs have seen their budgets shrink. The latest Farm Bill discussion, which failed along with the rest of the super committee, would have significantly reduced conservation budgets. While a new Farm Bill will be drafted in upcoming months, it is almost certain that conservation programs will not see a budget increase.
In addition to fiscal concerns, many local farmers are questioning their commitment to the CRP. With commodity prices skyrocketing, many farmers could make more money farming their CRP land rather than leaving it fallow.
Several solutions have been floated to deal with farmers’ reluctance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated that increasing the payout of CRP signups would help lure more farmers into the program, although, given the state of fiscal concerns in Washington, this increase seems unlikely.
Some farmers, on the other hand, have suggested a more targeted solution. Rather than leaving large tracts of land fallow for set contracts, they have suggested permanently protecting smaller buffer strips, enabling farmers to take advantage of commodity prices, while also protecting waterways and reducing soil erosion.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, farm bill, super committee
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Sunday, November 27th, 2011
Across the Midwest, Conservation Reserve Program contracts are set to expire. The CRP was originally begun in the 1950s in order to combat erosion and improve water and soil quality by removing endangered land from agricultural production. Since then, the program has been a mainstay of the conservation movement.
The influence of the CRP, however, may be tested in the next year. In 2012, hundreds of thousands of acres of CRP land across the Upper Midwest may be planted again. Current CRP contracts are set to expire, and farmers are questioning the utility of keeping their land in reserve.
Part of the problem stems from the steady defunding of conservation programs. While the CRP still receives federal money, its conservation subsides have gradually shrunk, offering farmers less and less to leave their land fallow.
In addition, the increasing price of corn, largely due to the ethanol boom occurring across the Midwest, has tempted many farmers to plant new crops when their CRP contracts expire.
The CRP has greatly improved the quality of the environment in the Midwest and across the Mississippi River. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl like ducks, along the Upper Midwest has increased in number.
In addition, nationally, CRP lands have retained over 1.8 billion pounds of nitrogen and 400 million pounds of phosphorus, much of which would have leeched into the Mississippi River, creating and expanding dead zones across the Gulf of Mexico.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, conservation reserve program, ethanol, midwest
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Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Details of the Farm Bill, currently being drafted in secrecy by the heads of the House and Senate agricultural committees, have been leaked to the public. As expected, the bill contains major cuts to several vital farm programs.
In particular, the proposed bill focuses on conservation and nutrition programs, severely reducing federal funds over the next several years. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly known as Food Stamps, will lose $4 billion over the next ten years. This reduction is a major reversal of agricultural policy of the past several years, which has focused on increased nutrition and making healthy food available to lower income families. SNAP currently assists over 45 million people in need.
In addition to nutritional cuts, the proposed Farm Bill will slash funding to conservation programs, further weakening these vitals projects. One of the most important conservation programs, the Conservation Reserve Program, will see its available acreage reduced by 7 million acres. Total cuts from all conservation programs could reach $6 billion.
Ken Cook, the President of the Environmental Working Group, sharply criticized the bill, stating, “No conservationist worthy of the name should accept legislation that cuts another $6-plus billion from the farm bill’s programs to protect land, water and wildlife.”
Surprisingly, in the midst of this austerity frenzy, subsidies for major crops like corn and cotton have remained in place.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, farm bill, farm subsidies, Food Stamps
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Friday, November 4th, 2011
Earlier this week, the American Farmland Trust came out in support of consolidating conservation programs in the upcoming Farm Bill. Founded in 1980, the AFT is a major farm advocacy group dedicated to preserving farm and ranch land across the country as well as promoting sustainable agriculture.
Consolidating conservation programs, the AFT believes, could help lower overall spending (without cutting valuable services) and could make it easier for farmers to apply for conservation funding and comply with program requirements.
As it stands currently, there are redundant programs build into current agricultural frameworks. For example, both The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program and the Grasslands Reserve Program serve to keep productive land available for agriculture and could easily be merged into a single program. Maintaining two independent bureaucracies, the AFT argues, increases maintenance costs.
The congressional supercommittee has considered various debt reduction proposals that affect conservation funding. Senator Dick Lugar has already introduced legislation that would cut farm spending by $40 billion, with much of it coming from conservation funding. The AFT believes that its proposal reduces spending, without compromising conservation funding.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: American Farmland Trust, Conservation, Dick Lugar
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Saturday, October 29th, 2011
In response to the rapid, and relatively secretive, agricultural budget reductions, advocacy groups across the country are voicing their concern at their lack of input regarding the federal farm subsidy reductions. As a part of the fallout from the debt ceiling debate last summer, a Congressional supercommittee, made of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, was created to cut about $2 trillion from the federal budget.
A significant portion of that budget reduction, it appears, will come from farm programs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The current proposal being considered by the supercommittee is an agricultural reduction of about $23 billion, much of it coming from the elimination of direct farm payments.
Environmental groups are unhappy at the lack of conservation funding. They are concerned that the elimination of direct subsidies, an important compliance tool for conservation programs, without other compliance measures, will lead to a decline in soil and environmental conservation.
Members of the American Farm Bureau, on the other hand, are willing to entertain the loss of direct payments, but are concerned about the speed of the reductions and their overall lack of input. The speed and closed door nature of these discussions all but guarantees that farm groups will have limited influence on the final version of the bill.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, debt ceiling, farm subsidies, usda
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Saturday, October 29th, 2011
Earlier this week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed farmers at Des Moines, Iowa and discussed the upcoming Farm Bill as well as the agricultural budget in general. This month has been a difficult one for American farmers. In addition to bouts of bad weather, Congress is gearing up to cut billions of dollars from the American farm budget.
Particularly worrisome for many agricultural and environmental groups is the loss of direct farm subsidies. While no bill has been approved yet, the Congressional supercommittee, charged with cutting nearly $2 trillion from the federal budget, has expressed interest in doing away with direct farm payments. While the farm economy is currently good, many farmers are worried that a future drop in crop prices or a string of poor weather, combined with the removal of direct payments, could leave them in a bad fiscal situation.
In addition, environmental groups are concerned about the impact of this subsidy elimination on conservation programs. Currently, conservation measures are required to be eligible for direct farm payments. Many groups have acknowledged that it is an important compliance tool.
With the upcoming elimination of direct payments, many environmentalists are concerned that there will be no incentive to participate in conservation programs, particularly with the budget for such programs being repeatedly cut. This fear was confirmed during Vilsack’s Des Moines visit, when he rejected tying other farm subsidies to conservation, stating, “I won’t be the one to say that compliance should be tied directly to crop insurance.”
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, farm bill, tom vilsack, usda
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Sunday, October 23rd, 2011
Earlier this week, Lubbock Texas experienced a massive dust storm, with some dust walls reaching over 1 mile in height and over 200 feet in length. The storms, a frightening reminder of the 1930s era Dust Bowl, are the latest fallout from the ongoing drought that is devastating the state and crippling the Texas agricultural industry.
The drought, which has been ongoing for nearly a year, is one of the worst in Texas history. Conservative estimates place the potential economic loss from the lack of rain and water at nearly $6 billion, with some estimates reaching much higher.
In addition to crop and livestock losses, the lack of water and the resulting dry, parched land has caused a series of natural disasters, including devastating wildfires. Recently, dust storms have been added to that list of disasters. While not uncommon across Texas, dust storms are typically only 1,000 feet in height, much smaller than the recent 8,000 foot storm that descended on Lubbock.
Meteorologists are predicting more dust storms in Texas and across the Southwest as the drought continues. However, while the recent storms may be reminiscent of the 1930s, experts predict that we will not see another Dust Bowl, largely because of improved soil practices, conservation programs, and modern farming techniques.
However, some farmers have used this storm as powerful evidence of the continued importance of funding conservation programs. With Congress looking to trim over $20 billion from agricultural budgets, conservation programs are at the top of the austerity lists. As the president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts stated, “This storm should show why these cuts can’t all come from conservation and why it’s important that we keep a focus on natural resource protection on working farm and ranch land unless we want to see a new Dust Bowl.”
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, drought, dust storms, texas
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Saturday, October 15th, 2011
According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report, efforts to clean up the Great Lakes have been paying off. Over the past several decades, soil erosion and pollution into the Great Lakes and surrounding waterways has caused a major environmental crisis in the region. As a result, the USDA created several conservation programs to encourage farmers to reduce soil erosion into Great Lakes waterways and promoted better nutrient management to reduce the amount of fertilizer runoff into surrounding lakes and streams.
The recent report indicates that these conservation efforts have made a significant impact on the environmental health of the Great Lakes. The study indicates that sediment discharge has been reduced by 50 percent and phosphorus and nitrogen pollution have declined by 36 and 37 percent respectively.
In a statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “The Great Lakes Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) study confirms that good conservation planning and implementation have reduced loadings of sediment and nutrients to waterways throughout the region. The Administration appreciates the actions of every farmer who is stepping up to implement conservation practices, protect vital farmlands and strengthen local economies. At the same time, we also see opportunities for even further progress.”
In addition to providing concrete results, the study also indicated that large-scale conservation programs targeting specific regions were more effective than independent programs. Tailoring specific plans to specific regions, USDA spokespeople said, provides the best results.
While funding for these sorts of conservation programs may be in danger, USDA officials hope that they will be able to continue their work regardless of future budget cuts.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Conservation, Great Lakes, usda
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