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[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 520 Introduced in House (IH)]

107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 520

  Expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
  should reexamine the authorities governing the Conservation Reserve 
  Program and adjust the program to the maximum extent practicable to 
  assist agricultural producers adversely affected by severe drought 
                              conditions.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 14, 2002

  Mr. Graves submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
                referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
  should reexamine the authorities governing the Conservation Reserve 
  Program and adjust the program to the maximum extent practicable to 
  assist agricultural producers adversely affected by severe drought 
                              conditions.

Whereas the Conservation Reserve Program is the largest environmental program 
        administered by the Department of Agriculture;
Whereas the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the Department of 
        Agriculture has estimated that the Conservation Reserve Program saves 
        several tons of soil per year, improves water quality through estimated 
        riparian buffers, and has restored upland bird populations throughout 
        the principal farm States;
Whereas, during 2002, many States with substantial Conservation Reserve Program 
        acres received adequate rainfall during the spring months, but, during 
        the optimum summer growing months for grazing and hay pastures, drought 
        drastically reduced pasture production in these States;
Whereas these extreme weather conditions during the spring and summer of 2002 
        devastated the economic viability of thousands of farmers and ranchers 
        in the United States, particularly livestock producers;
Whereas, despite experiencing severe drought conditions, many of these farmers 
        and ranchers did not qualify for drought relief under the current 
        Conservation Reserve Program rules due to the large amounts of rain 
        their farms and ranches received during the early spring;
Whereas the Conservation Reserve Program is a valuable forage resource, and the 
        Secretary of Agriculture has substantial authority to administer the 
        Conservation Reserve Program with flexibility to address drought 
        conditions; and
Whereas lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program continue to provide 
        significant forage resources that should be used to assist producers in 
        emergency drought conditions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
should--
            (1) reevaluate the conditions under which the Conservation 
        Reserve Program is designated to permit haying and grazing, 
        taking into consideration rainfall, temperature, crop 
        production, partial county designations, State criteria for 
        disaster relief, and such other relevant factors; and
            (2) review and promulgate new rules and regulations 
        regarding the appropriate use and availability of haying and 
        grazing on Conservation Reserve Program lands to better reflect 
        the needs of farmers and ranchers in times of disaster.
                                 <all>
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