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Senate Approach Would Speed Payments to Maryland Farmers for Farmland Conservation
Fate of Funding Hangs on Key Farm Bill Negotiations
Maryland’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 $20 million in unfunded applications from Maryland 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 Maryland
Cleaner Rivers and Lakes: In Maryland, 5.7 percent of surveyed rivers and streams and 63 percent of surveyed lakes have been classified as impaired. Agriculture is one of the leading causes of nonpoint source pollution in Maryland. The recent Pfisteria outbreaks are one example of how agriculture is impacting Maryland's water resources. One example is the impact excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) have had on underwater grasses. These grasses are very important to the Bay because they provide habitat and help filter the water. But pollution has reduced these grasses to only 10% of historic levels, from 600,000 acres to around 65,000 acres today.
Efforts to increase funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in the next farm bill would help more Maryland farmers adopt practices to reduce the level of sedimentation, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into Maryland waters. The current backlog of EQIP funding in Maryland is $3.4 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 Maryland watersheds. Although soil loss is declining, Maryland still loses approximately 6.6 million tons of soil per year from cropland. Through the CRP, farmers can retire highly erodible land without incurring economic costs.
Safer Drinking Water: In Maryland, 90 drinking water systems serving 7,483 people exceeded EPA's nitrate threshold from 1995 through 2000. And 8 percent of shallow wells, failed to meet the EPA threshold as well. Pesticides in water are also a concern, leading the state to install water-monitoring systems in potentially problematic areas. Pesticide use in Maryland is 3.6 million pounds per year and nitrate use is 104,000 tons per year. Through USDA technical assistance and EQIP, Maryland farmers could implement practices to reduce the use of these chemicals and prevent them from contaminating Maryland's water bodies and source drinking water areas.
Protected Open Space and Working Landscapes: Every year Maryland loses an average of 6,300 acres of prime farmland per year to development and suburban sprawl (USDA/NRI). Converting prime farmland to housing developments and parking lots means that it is lost for meeting future food needs as well as for open space. Presently, there is a backlog of farmers wanting to enroll 14,000 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.
Enhanced Wildlife Habitat: Maryland farmland is home to many species of game and non-game wildlife, including deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbits, owls, ruffed grouse, and black bear. Although Maryland farmers have enrolled over 26,000 acres in the Conservation Reserve and Wetlands Reserve Programs, lack of funding has created a backlog of farmers who want to enroll additional land in the programs. Maryland farmers volunteered to enroll 785 acres in the WRP last year in permanent protection and another 206 acres under 30 year easements. At least $1.3 million is needed to eliminate this backlog. Many more farmers are volunteering for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to enhance wildlife habitat on their working farmland. 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 Maryland producers are moving towards organic production. Since organic food is one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S. food industry, Maryland 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 Maryland farmers who want to switch to organic farming.
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