Conservation and Environmental Enhancement In the 2002 Farm Bill

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Conservation and Environmental EnhancementIn the
2002 Farm Bill

• TITLE II
• How to Do Good While Doing Well

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Lecture 40Nov. 22, 2002

• Guest Lecture
• Dr. Steve Lovejoy

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(No Transcript)
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• TITLE II Funding

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Critical Issues

• Impact of huge changes in EQIP
• Allowable economic uses
• 3rd party vendors of technical assistance
• Rule making for CSP
• Trade status of conservation programs

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EQIP

• Increases annual from 200 million to 1.3
  billion
• maximize the environmental benefits per dollar
  expended
• Eliminated the targeted priority areas
• Increased to animal ag from 50 to 60
• Eliminated restriction on large animal producers
• Allows partnering with states and private groups
• Minimum contract length from 3 years to 1 year
• Technical assistance 3rd parties
• Limits payments to 450,000

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CRP

• Cap increases from 36.4 to 39.2 million acres
• New eligibility cropped 4 of last 6 years
• Expands the CRP wetlands pilot program
• Allows for some economic uses of enrolled acres
  (haying, grazing, wind turbines)

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Farmland Protection Program

• 20 fold increase in funding
• Removes many of the restrictions on eligibility
• Allow nonprofit conservation groups to
  participate
• Acres with historical or archaeological resources
  eligible
• Indiana is now participating

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Grasslands Reserve Program

• 2 million acres virgin and restored
• 10,15,20,30 years,permanent contracts (60 in
  long term)
• Same grazing restrictions as CRP, etc
• At least 40 contiguous acres
• Rental at 75 of grazing value
• Cost sharing for restoration

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Conservation Security Program

• green payments
• Tier I 1 practice on limited acres 5 years
• Tier II 1 practice on entire operation 5-10 yrs
• Tier III comprehensive mgmt plan on entire
  operation for 5-10 years

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Conclusions

• Title II not radical departure from past
• CSP new and very different
• Enlarges eligibility
• Rewards stewardship
• Shifts distribution of payments
• Significantly increases resources
• Illustrates public demand for farmers and rural
  landscapes to produce more than food

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There will be substantial opportunities for
Hoosier farmers to benefit from the Title II
programs.There are hundreds of millions of
Also, these programs should lead to Hoosier
farmers producing greater environmental benefits
for all of us
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QUESTIONS