| Environmental Defense today praised
Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and the Bush administration for
supporting a major increase in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
conservation spending.
The national environmental group also praised Lugar, ranking
Republican on the Senate Agricultural Committee, and the
administration for proposing farm subsidy reforms that would reduce
incentives to convert wetlands and other environmentally sensitive
areas to corn, soybean, or other row crop production.
"Farm policy should help all farmers and all regions, including
Midwestern grain farmers, and reward farmers when they help the
environment. Senator Lugar's bold proposal reflects these principles
and we look forward to these ideas being incorporated into farm
legislation as it moves through the Senate," said Environmental
Defense senior attorney Timothy Searchinger.
According to Searchinger, only 30% of farmers are currently
eligible for federal subsidies, and large producers collect most of
these payments. By contrast, under the new Lugar proposal all U.S.
farmers are eligible for conservation payments and other assistance.
"Revamping subsidy programs to discourage the production of huge
crop surpluses and the conversion of environmentally sensitive lands
is a courageous step for which Senator Lugar deserves a great deal
of credit," Searchinger said. "We hope that Senator Lugar will be
able to work together with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom
Harkin (D-IA), who has championed USDA conservation programs and has
pledged to make conservation the centerpiece of the next Farm Bill."
### Environmental Defense, a leading national
nonprofit organization based in New York, represents more than
300,000 members. Since 1967 we have linked science, economics, and
law to create innovative, equitable, and cost-effective solutions to
the most urgent environmental problems. | 
