With both Senate and House passage and Presidential approval of a
joint funding resolution finalizing appropriations for the current
fiscal year, several Farm Bill conservation programs were left well
short of funding.

The bill was a comprehensive appropriations bill, made necessary
because the measure passed last year after Republicans lost control
of both Senate and House in the November election, but before the
new majorities took over, only provided funding through mid-
February.

Unfortunately, the new bill ratified the initial decisions made last
fall to substantially cut at least two conservation programs.

The Wetlands Reserve Program, which provides funds to farmers to
help restore and provide long-term protection for wetlands, was
limited to just 150,000 acres of enrollment this year. That is
substantially less than the 250,000 acres per year promised in the
2002 Farm Bill, and represents a 40% cut in funding.

The Conservation Security Program provides payments to farmers based
on their willingness to provide wildlife, water quality, and other
natural resource benefits on their working farms and ranches.
Congress capped the program spending at a level that will only fund
existing contracts, and will not allow for a signup in a new group
of watersheds this year.

There is some chance that a supplemental spending bill to provide
funds for the war in Iraq could include funding to fix these
problems as well, and Congress may take up that bill in the coming
weeks.

Duane Hovorka
Farm Bill Outreach Coordinator