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Senate Approach Would Speed Payments to Maine Farmers for Farmland Conservation
Fate of Funding Hangs on Key Farm Bill Negotiations
Maine’s considerable – and growing – farmland conservation needs on private lands have gone chronically underfunded for years. That could all change as a handful of Senators and Representatives decide whether or not to adopt the Senate’s $4.3 billion annual investment in farmland conservation programs during final farm bill negotiations this month.Currently, there is over $11 million in unfunded applications from Maine farmers who want to implement conservation practices on their land that would protect farmland and enhance drinking water sources and wildlife habitat.
These programs, which pay farmers to take steps to boost conservation, provide a range of benefits to rural communities while boosting family farm incomes – particularly among smaller struggling family farm operations.
New analysis by EWG shows that the Senate’s approach to boosting funding for farmland conservation programs would immediately get much needed assistance to more farmers in the state than the House bill. In comparison, by waiting until 2007 to ramp up farmland conservation programs, the House bill would fail to meet the growing demand for farmers who want to reduce their farm’s impact on local rivers and streams, enhance wildlife habitat and prevent sprawl from consuming more farmland. And, the longer farmers and communities have to wait to enroll in conservation programs, the more expensive it will be for taxpayers to address conservation problems.
In short, adopting the Senate’s conservation strategy will help more farmers, provide benefits to society and save taxpayers money.
Meeting Environmental Challenges with Agriculture Conservation Programs in Maine
Cleaner Rivers and Lakes: Some of the most significant threats to Maine watersheds come from non-point sources of pollution, including agriculture and forestry. Maine has over 1,000 miles of streams and 100,000 acres of lake impaired due to excessive bacteria, algae blooms, and habitat degradation.
Efforts to increase funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in the next farm bill would help more Maine farmers adopt practices to reduce the level of sedimentation, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into Maine waters. The current backlog of EQIP funding in Maine is $9.7 million. Increased funding for the Conservation Reserve Program, especially for grass and tree buffers near to water bodies, in the next farm bill would also help reduce agricultural pollutants in many Maine watersheds. Although soil loss is declining, Maine still loses approximately 702,000 tons of soil per year from cropland. Through the CRP, farmers can retire highly erodible land without incurring economic costs. Through forest stewardship and cost-share programs funded through the USDA Forest Service, Maine private forestland owners could implement practices to reduce runoff and erosion as well.
Safer Drinking Water: In Maine, 7 drinking water systems serving 683 people exceeded EPA's nitrate threshold from 1995 through 2000. And 8 percent of shallow wells, failed to meet the EPA threshold as well. Pesticide use in Maine is 2.9 million pounds per year and nitrate use is 22,000 tons per year. Through USDA technical assistance and EQIP, Maine farmers could implement practices to reduce the use of these chemicals and prevent them from contaminating Maine's water bodies and source drinking water areas.
Protected Working Landscapes: Every year, Maine loses thousands of acres of farm and forestland to development and suburban sprawl. Converting prime farm and forestland to housing developments, vacation homes and shopping malls means lost production, open space and wildlife habitat. Twenty-two percent of Maine's land (4,802,000 acres) changed hands in just 18 months (Natural Resources Council of Maine). Presently, there is a backlog of farmers wanting to enroll 2,200 acres into the Farmland Protection Program -- a program that should be adequately funded in the next farm bill to help protect our natural resource base and our open space for future generations. There is a backlog of over $29 million for forestry easement under the Forest Legacy program. H.R. 2375 would create a new program to help purchase forest easements in key watersheds for drinking water and other conservation goals.
Enhanced Wildlife Habitat: Maine farmland is home to many species of game and non-game wildlife, including deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbits, owls, ruffed grouse and fox. Although Maine farmers have enrolled over 22,000 acres in the Conservation Reserve and Wetlands Reserve Programs, the programs are not well-suited for Maine farmers currently. Program improvements included in H.R. 2375 would make the program more economically competitive in Maine and allow farmers to enroll partial fields and buffers instead of taking whole fields out of production. Many more Maine farmers would use the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to enhance wildlife habitat on their working farm and forestland. Currently, there is a $650,000 backlog for this program in Maine. Proposals to increase funding for these programs in the next farm bill would ensure that all farmers and ranchers who want to retire highly sensitive land for wildlife habitat or adopt new practices to create habitat can do so.
Healthier Food Supply: Many Maine producers are moving towards organic production, with 5,272 acres of farmland and 1,489 acres of rangeland now growing organically. Since organic food is one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S. food industry, Maine could create a healthier food supply and farm economy by increasing organic production. Proposals to include organic transition payments in the next Farm Bill would help those Maine farmers who want to switch to organic farming.
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