8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 1/8

Expanding Public Suppor t for Pr ivate LandsConservation

Steve KlineDirector, Center for Agricultural Lands

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

skline@trcp.org

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 2/8

Conservation spendingcomprises just 8% of total USDA funding.

In FY2011 Farm Bill

conservation programs were cut by 10%, or$500 million.

In FY2012, the Housepassed an additional 

22% cut of $1 billion.

The Senate hasproposed $700 millionin additional cuts forFY2012.

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 3/8

25 participating states arein danger of losing VPA funding.

Provides incentives to

landowners to makeproductive acres accessiblefor hunters and anglers.

Losing VPA means fewerhunting and fishing license

sales, reduced economicimpact and lost jobs forrural America.

“The only reason I played golf was so that I

could afford to go hunting and fishing. “

-Sam Snead

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 4/8

Establish and maintainnative grasses beneficial to wildlife.

Remove barriers to fish

passage

In-stream aquatic habitatrestoration

New wetland creation

Forest stand improvementfor benefit of wildlife suchas wild turkey.“The movement for the conservation of 

 wildlife is essentially democratic in spirit,

purpose, and method.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 5/8

 

"If it's unenvironmental it is uneconomical.”

-Mollie Beattie, Former USFWS Director 

Implement conservation croprotation, to improve soilquality and reduce runoff 

Livestock waste utilization(waste to energy)

Stream fencing (livestockexclusion)

Irrigation/drainage watermanagement.

Prescribed grazing (delayedor limited grazing)

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 6/8

Permanent easements orrental agreements of 10/15/20 years.

482K acres enrollednationally.

$18 million to helpranches in ID, UT, WY, toconserve sage grouse

habitat.

$550K to conserve LesserPrairie Chicken habitat.

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 7/8

174K WRP acres inND/SD support+48,000 pairs of ducksper year.

WRP accounts for 1.2billion lbs of carbonsequestration

WRP in SD, ND, MNreduces soil loss by124K tons per year.

8/4/2019 Beyond the Fence Row

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/beyond-the-fence-row 8/8

On average, crop insurancepremiums are 60% subsidized bytaxpayer dollars; many are muchhigher.

Crop insurance serves as anincentive to convert sensitive acres

to row crop production.

 According to GAO, counties withhighest grassland conversion levelsrequired double insurance payouts.

Until 1996 Farm Bill, crop insuranceparticipation was linked to

conservation compliance.

Conservation compliance helpsensure public dollars deliver publicbenefits.