Date: 1991-06-26
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I plead with my colleagues that this is not trying to undo the Committee on Appropriations. This is just trying. in a very frugal manner. to bring into place what we have legislated. We have studied it. We know we are running out of water. We know that the air in many areas is polluted. We know we need good quality water. We know that we need conservation. This I ask my colleagues. to support the gentleman from Indiana. because it is a very minor. but yet very progressive step in where we hope to head in the future for rural America and for agriculture. Mr. Chairman. the Agriculture Committees In both the House and Senate worked long and hard to construct a farm bill in 1990 that would set new direction for American agriculture as it prepares to enter the 21st century. Existing programs were Improved and new programs established as a foundation for strong. stable. and environmentally sound agricultural programs. Unfortunately. the Appropriations Committee has seen fit in this bill to undo much of what we on the Committee on Agriculture. believe are important and muchneeded initiatives to aid producers and all of American agriculture. One of the cornerstones of the 1990 farm bill is the improvements that were made in agricultural conservation. Building on the accomplishments of the 1985 farm bill. the 1990 farm bill established new programs to complement the highly successful Conservation Reserve Program already in place. These were the Wetlands Reserve Programto provide longterm protection for farmed wetlandsand the Water Quality Improvement Programto provide incentives to producers to improve farming practices to reduce any negative Impacts they may have on water quality. Mr. Chairman. these three programsthe Conservation Reserve Program. the Wetlands Reserve Program. and the Water Quality Improvement Programare like the three legs of a stool. These three programs are the crucial framework for the important conservation efforts that the Department of Agriculture has been charged to implement Unfortunately. this appropriations bill literally "cut our legs out from under us." Specifically. the fiscal 1992 Agricultural appropriations bill Includes a prohibition against the use of funds to establish a Wetlands Reserve Program. Instead. the Appropriations Committee pro4ides the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service with funds to "better define the costs. benefits. and impacts" of the reserve program. I should note that the administration. which worked closely with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees in developing the conservation measures in the farm bill. requested $124 million for this program in fiscal year It Is Important for the Members to understand. that the Wetland Reserve is a voluntary easement program to provide longterm conservation easements for the protection of farmed wetlands. Until this time. farmed wetlands were being enrolled In the CRP which affords them only limited protections for the 10year term of the contract. In establishing the new Wetland Reserve. Congress directed the Secretary to limit the enrollment of these wetlands into the CRP. Now Ironically. should H.R. 2698 remain unchanged. there will be no program in place to provide for longterm easements to protect farmed wetlands. Of equal significance is the Water Quality Incentive Program which is designed to provide financial incentives and technical assistance to producers to aid them in correcting water quality problems associated with their farming operation. This. too. is a voluntary program designed to help agricultural producer help themselves. H.R. 2698 provides no funding for the water quality program. As a result. farmers will be forced to address their water quality problems in another manner or seek to enroll their lands in CRP to deal with nonpoint source pollution problems. This Is the wrong approach for dealing with water quality problems. As stated in the conference report on the 1990 farm bill. "[I]t is more efficient and costeffective to alter. where possible. cropping management activities to achieve conservation goals than it is to remove environmentally sensitive lands from production and compensate the farmer for the lost economic activity." Mr. Chairman. the provisions of H.R. 2698 eliminate two important tools for the agricultural producer to be able to farm in an environmentally sound and costeffective way. Rather than preparing American agriculture to move into the 21st century. this bill instead prohibits progress and promotes stagnation. Working with the conservation community and farmers. the Agriculture Committees made great strides toward addressing enviromental concerns facing American agriculture. If these farm bill programs are not implemented and the farmer is not given more tools for dealing with wetland and water quality concems through voluntary. incentive programs. I fear what the alternative may be. I ask my colleagues to help promote more environmentally sound farming and oppose the status quo.