ASA supports targeting conservation funding for improving water quality and enhancing conservation practices on working lands, rather than for land-retirement programs. Toward this end, we support full funding of the Conservation Security Program (CSP) and EQIP program, and more conservation-focused re-enrollment of lands in the CRP.

The conservation title’s provisions build upon past conservation gains and respond to the call of farmers and ranchers across the country for additional cost-share resources. The 2002 Farm Bill ensures greater access to the programs by making more farmers and ranchers eligible for participation and represents the most significant commitment of resources toward conservation on private lands in history. The legislation responds to a broad range of emerging natural resource challenges faced by farmers and ranchers, including soil erosion, wetlands, wildlife habitat, and farmland protection. Private landowners will benefit from a portfolio of voluntary assistance, including cost-share, land rental, incentive payments, and technical assistance.

The 2002 Farm Bill also places a strong premium on working lands. ASA has long supported full funding of the Conservation Security Program (CSP) which provides incentive payments to all farmers who adopt and maintain specified conservation practices on working lands. Unfortunately, CSP has been a target where Congress uses its dollars to pay for other programs. ASA has taken the lead each year assuring this program is not starved to death. We can expect programs like CSP, or programs on "working lands" to become the linchpin of conservation titles in years to come.

The President’s Budget for FY-2006 proposes increased funding for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the CSP. The CSP (administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service) received a 35% increase, to $274 million in FY-2006 from $202 million in FY-2005. Funding for the CRP (administered by the Farm Service Agency) saw a modest increase from $1.9 billion in FY-2005 to $2.02 billion in FY-2006. The CRP was reauthorized by the 2002 Farm Bill to include funds for conservation land containing renewable energy projects.  

The Resource Conservation and Development Program (administered by NRCS) was deemed redundant with existing conservation programs and received a 50% reduction in funding (from $51 million in FY-2005 to $26 million in FY-2006). The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which provides assistance to landowners facing soil, water and related natural resources challenges, received a modest cut to $1.0 billion, down from $1.017 billion. EQIP is projected to support conservation on 141.5 million acres in FY-2006, compared to 34.4 million acres to be enrolled under CRP. Total acres enrolled in FY-2005 were 117.5 million acres under EQIP and 34.3 million acres under CRP.