April 30 , 2002

FARM BILL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REACHES AGREEMENT

The House and Senate farm bill conferees have reached an agreement and publicly announced the details . The compromise bill authorizes the conservation programs as six-year programs for FY'02 through FY'07. Funding is authorized for 10 years, with the final four years included as baseline funding levels for the next farm bill. Selected details of the conference agreement on the Conservation Title are as follows: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) -- 39.2 million acres, $1.517 billion; Conservation Security Program (CSP) -- $2 billion; Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) -- $9 billion with a cap of $450,000 per contract; Farmland Protection Program (FPP) -- $985 million; Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) -- 2 million acres, with 60 percent long-term leases and 40 percent short-term, $250 million; Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) -- $700 million; Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - 2.275 million acres, $1.5 billion. The bill will authorize FPP funds on the following fiscal year schedule: 2002:   $50 million 2003:   $100 million 2004:   $125 million 2005:   $125 million 2006:   $100 million 2007:   $97 million FPP will be funded at a $97 million annually in 2008-2011, providing a baseline for the next farm bill. The final bill and conference report are being prepared for floor votes in both houses in early May. After this step, it is virtually certain that the president will sign the bill into law. Contact: Tobey Williamson, AFT's Federal Policy Program Manager, (202) 331-7000 x3020