|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Scott Faber 202 387-3500
Tim
Searchinger 202
387-3500
(26
April, 2002 -- Washington, D.C.) Environmental Defense today
said that a new
farm bill agreement reached by House and Senate negotiators will
harm the environment and most farmers.
"The
conferees have eliminated any environmental balance in this farm
bill by boosting subsidies for the biggest farms, scrapping key
safeguards to protect the environment and by cutting funds for
conservation," said Environmental Defense senior attorney Tim
Searchinger. "On
balance, for each acre of habitat preserved, this bill will destroy
at least two and for each ton of pollution spared, the bill will add
at least two tons."
"Both
the Senate and House voted overwhelmingly to limit subsidies to the
country's largest farms and to boost conservation, but House and
Senate negotiators have ignored their colleagues," said
Environmental Defense water resources specialist Scott Faber. "The country's biggest grain
and cotton farms get a visit from Santa, while farmers offering to
help the environment get a lump of coal."
The
Senate-passed farm bill included key provisions that provided the
legislation with some environmental balance. One key provision limited
subsidies to existing cropland, as a way to discourage farmers from
plowing up prairies and forests to produce larger crop surpluses
that then lead to lower prices. The Senate also capped
subsidies for the largest farms and boosted new funds for
conservation programs significantly. But the conference agreement
announced today, eliminated key limitations on crop subsidies and
cut back conservation spending to levels near the unbalanced House
bill.
"This
bill will drive farmers in to overproduction on sensitive lands -- a
direction they do not want to go. Thousands of farmers who are
willing to improve water quality, restore wildlife habitat, or serve
as the frontline against sprawl will continue to be turned away,"
said Faber.
"By
bucking the will of their colleagues in both houses, the conferees
have dedicated nearly all their funds to the largest farmers in a
few states, while all but ignoring the vast majority of farmers in
the vast majority of states," said Searchinger. "These farmers do not
benefit from traditional subsidy programs, but they appreciate help
to be the best stewards of the land they can be."
### 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. | 
