Pheasants Forever Concerned about the Future of the Conservation Reserve Program; Letter to USDA Secretary Veneman Requests Meeting.

Business Editors/Environment Writers

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2003

Today, in a letter sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ann M. Veneman, Pheasants Forever outlined concerns for the future of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The letter criticized low acceptance rates for the 26th general CRP sign-up conducted last spring and recent changes to the program's management policies. The letter also requested a meeting with Secretary Veneman to discuss these issues and the future of CRP.

In the letter, Pheasants Forever outlined four major areas of concern. The first area cited was the very low 48 percent acceptance rate during the 26th general CRP sign-up. In fact, the USDA only accepted 2 million acres of the 4.1 million offered, despite being budgeted for accepting 2.8 million acres. Of special concern are North and South Dakota where those states saw only a 17 and 9 percent acceptance rate, respectively. Pheasants Forever blamed the brief timeframe allotted for the sign-up and a lack of technical assistance available during the sign-up as the determining factors of the poor acceptance rates. Secondly, the letter addressed some Farm Service Agency (FSA) actions related to shortening critical nesting and brood-rearing periods for wildlife. Reductions to these periods may allow habitat disturbance during a time that is sensitive for wildlife production. Similarly, Pheasants Forever's third area of concern involved other FSA actions related to over-aggressive management of haying and grazing. While Pheasants Forever understands the need to maintain, manage, hay, and graze CRP lands, Pheasants Forever feels that management policy decisions should be based upon the benefits to soil, water, air, and wildlife. Finally, Pheasants Forever addressed recent changes made to the wetland restoration practice known as CP-23. These changes require a majority of hydric soils, a roll back on eligible lands, and restrictions on land within the 100-year floodplain. Pheasants Forever believes that these changes are significant enough that landowners may find it extremely difficult to qualify their wetlands for enrollment, especially impacting the Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Plains.

"We are very concerned about recent USDA actions related to the Conservation Reserve Program," explained Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever CEO. "CRP has become the benchmark by which all other conservation programs are judged. CRP's benefits to soil, water, air, wildlife and rural economies have been tremendous. With the shortcomings of the last sign-up so apparent, we wanted to address these issues now before a new CRP sign-up is in place. Consequently, we have requested an audience with Secretary Veneman and her staff to outline our concerns. Our hope is that we can work together to continue CRP's natural resource legacy."

Originally established in 1985, CRP offers annual payments for 10-15 year contracts to participants who establish grass, shrubs, and tree cover on environmentally sensitive lands, thus providing important financial stability for farmers and landowners. According to the USDA, CRP payments average $5,315 per farm annually. In addition, CRP lands contribute at least $4.7 billion annually from hunting expenditures, much of which support rural communities. These CRP lands have also been shown to improve water quality and protect environmentally sensitive soils from erosion. Likewise, CRP has provided a great boost for pheasants and other wildlife. In fact, CRP's wildlife benefits were instrumental in convincing Congress to reauthorize the program in 1996 and again in 2002.