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Issues & Action
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House Passes Farm Bill
On July 27, the House passed their version of the 2007 Farm Bill. The bill, while not addressing all of Audubon's key priorities, did increase overall funding for conservation of bird and wildlife habitat on private lands. The suite of conservation programs administered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps landowners voluntarily preserve over 40 million acres of habitat—more than the entire National Wildlife Refuge System in the lower 48 states.
Included in the House-passed bill are extensions of many of the popular conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program. In addition, the House reauthorized the Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), a program essential to protect and enhance habitat for grassland birds, many of which are declining in alarming numbers. Although the program was authorized at only one million acres over five years, the reauthorization is beneficial and allows us to continue to advocate for more funding for the program during the annual appropriations process.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is reauthorized at its current level of $85 million per year and the Environmental Qualities Incentives Program (EQIP) will receive annual incremental increases advancing the program to $2 billion by 2012. Wildlife concerns currently receive 6% of EQIP money.
Although the House had the opportunity to write a Farm Bill that provided for greater reforms and more conservation, it chose to make smaller reforms and direct significant funding to conservation. Efforts to further reform the bill on the floor of the House were voted down by significant margins.
It's important to note the efforts of several environmental champions for their support for conservation, including Ron Kind (D-WI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and others. Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) deserves special congratulations for his work on the Agriculture Committee to strengthen the Conservation Title as well as for his work on the Rules Committee to ensure that funding for conservation was added at the 11th hour.
Further Senate action on its version of the farm bill will begin again when that body reconvenes after its summer recess.
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