Conservation
I have often said that the conservation title of the Farm Bill is among the most critical pieces of federal legislation we approve in Congress. Not only do conservation programs assist our agricultural producers, they benefit all of us through improvements in water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, soil erosion and in many other areas.
During my time on the Senate Agriculture Committee, I served as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit and had a hand in writing conservation language for the 2008 Farm Bill that promoted incentive-based conservation programs. These programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Grassland Reserve Program (GSP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), enhance our air and water and encourage collaboration and partnerships among farmers, landowners, sportsmen and local and state agencies.
As part of the debate over the 2012 Senate version of the Farm Bill, I won unanimous approval of an amendment pertaining to the purchase and maintenance of land easements. The amendment protects farmers and ranchers by specifically naming them, not federal officials, as the entity holding the easement. It also clarifies the rights of the federal government with regard to enforcing actions and contiguous acreage regarding easements. This legislation will encourage voluntary participation in entering into easement agreements with the federal government.
As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I have continued collaborative efforts that involve Idaho agricultural producers, forest interests, sportsmen and other landowners . These collaborative efforts have resulted in on-the-ground success stories that demonstrate Idahoans’ care for maintaining our environment. The federal government can be a rightful partner in this process but incentives, not federal mandates, should continue to be our model for these conservation programs.
In Idaho, EQIP and WHIP have helped stabilize many miles of the Coeur d’Alene River’s banks that were eroding contaminated soil into the river system. EQIP has assisted grain and dry pea farmers in Latah County reduce soil erosion and improve soil health. EQIP was also behind a pilot project on the Weiser River Watershed to address conservation concerns including sage grouse habitat on rangeland. In Caribou County, WHIP has helped restore Trout Creek, addressing sedimentation, nutrient, wildlife habitat, and altered stream channel issues.
Landowners, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service employees and conservation partners are working together to advance these and other important projects.
The 2008 Farm Bill also included a new program: the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP). AWEP assists agriculture producers with water quantity and quality enhancements. Given the significant water challenges in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, I worked to include this region as an important program area. AWEP is in its initial stages of implementation, and Idahoans have put considerable interest and effort into submitting competitive proposals.
Finally, since the majority of threatened and endangered species live on private land, the best way to improve conditions for these species is by assisting private landowners with enhancing habitat. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I worked with my colleagues to include a provision in the tax title of the Farm Bill establishing a deduction for site-specific management measures in Endangered Species Act recovery plans.
Another important path to conservation is through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Act (CFLRA) and the collaborative initiatives I am proud to have partnered on in Idaho. These collaborative efforts are creating jobs while protecting habitat and water quality. Some of the CFLRA efforts in Idaho include the Weiser-Little Salmon Headwaters Project and Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative. The Clearwater Basin Collaborative also continues its efforts, along with the Payette and Boise Forest Coalitions.efforts.
I commend these efforts by Idahoans in these communities to come together to find solutions to land management conflicts that stretch back decades. Collaboration is neither fast nor easy, but significant progress can be made when folks agree to come to the table to find mutually agreeable and lasting solutions to issues on our public lands.
