In Cortland County, NY, the average dairy farm nets $27,000 a year. Karen Dove isn't in the business to make money. "You want to do right by the land," she says, "but conservation is expensive." A federal program has helped Dove and her husband install fences and paddocks to graze their 130 milk cows in rotation among separate pastures, allowing parts of the land to rest and protecting the Tioughnioga River.

Most conservation oriented farmers aren't as lucky. Even though a record $32 billion was doled out to farmers last year, our research shows that most farmers who apply for conservation grants are turned down for lack of funds. Phil Ludwig, who administers federal conservation programs in Cortland County, reports a backlog of farmers who want to sign up. "At least in my small part of the world, this is government money well spent," he says.

Environmental Defense has targeted farm legislation now before Congress as the nation's best opportunity for improving water quality, wildlife habitat and human health.

Aiming to expand conservation incentives, we helped write the Working Lands Stewardship Act. Introduced by Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), this bill proposes $8 billion in farm subsidies to help farmers who undertake conservation measures. It would provide $500 million annually for open space protection, $2 billion for water protection and $750 million to help wildlife. It also boosts funding to restore habitat, plant trees along urban rivers and help farmers switch to organic farming.

The bill has rapidly gained support in Congress and now has over 100 co-sponsors. To accelerate its passage, we helped form a diverse coalition of environmentalists, farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and public health groups. The same coalition will be invaluable when Congress acts on the 2002 Farm Bill.

Reducing Farm Pollution

Current farm policy subsidizes overproduction of commodity crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat and rice. Grown with heavy applications of pesticides and fertilizers, these commodity crops do significant damage to the environment. Farmland accounts for 55% of the land in the lower 48 states. Farm practices affect up to 80% of the water we drink and also have a major impact on estuaries. For instance, nitrogen from fertilizer washing down the Mississippi River from farms in the Midwest has created a New Jersey-sized "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. Reduced use of farm chemicals and increased waterside planting of trees can protect rivers from pollution.

At the same time, farms can be a positive environmental force. They are frequently the front line of defense against sprawl. But without help to purchase conservation easements to hold onto their land, farmers are often forced to sell. The number of farms has dropped from six million to two million, leading to increased urban sprawl and a loss of biodiversity.

"The incentives we helped introduce can help ensure a vibrant future for the family farm, healthier food and a cleaner environment," says our attorney Scott Faber.