Farm bill conservation programs matter

By Ron Brown

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee recently approved its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. In today's partisan climate where everything seems to turn into a political issue, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and the other members of the committee deserve high accolades for their swift bipartisan passage of a commonsense plan that protects American agriculture while at the same time reducing our nation's debt by an estimated $23 billion.

And while the bill's commodity title gets most of the attention in the news, I would argue that the conservation section of the bill, Title II, is just as important, if not more so, to the future of America. After all, if we don't protect and preserve our nation's natural resources, we won't have any land on which to farm in the future.

Whether you're involved in agriculture or not, the benefits of strong conservation affects everyone. We all eat and we all need clean air and water. With the world's population on the rise, the sustainability of our food supply has never been more critical.

The conservation title in the Senate bill streamlines and consolidates programs for increased efficiency and ease-of-use for producers while maintaing critical funding for valuable technical assistance that helps ensure conservation best practices.

While the bill would cut $6 billion in conservation program funding, I fully understand that all of us, in every sector of the economy, must be prepared to make sacrifices in the current economic climate.

However, additional cuts beyond this amount could put the viability of these programs at risk.

Producers in Kansas and all across the country are already faced with the challenge of doing more with less, and conservation is a tool that is available to every producer. Not only do farm bill conservation programs play a key role in supporting clean air, clean water and productive soils, they also help producers implement conservation practices through voluntary, incentive-based methods rather than through a top-down regulatory approach. In addition, conservation programs support our nation's long-term economic and food security.

I think everyone would agree it's better to make a long-term investment in our natural resources today than to be forced to pay escalated costs for repair in the future.

It's time for Congress to take action and pass a farm bill before it's too late. Contact your congressional representatives and let them know that you support funding for conservation programs.

Editor's Note: Ron Brown of Fort Scott is president of the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts.