Search the Databases
About Farm Subsidies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Senate Approach Would Speed Payments to Kentucky Farmers for Farmland Conservation
Fate of Funding Hangs on Key Farm Bill Negotiations
Kentucky’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 $61 million in unfunded applications from Kentucky 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 Kentucky
Cleaner Rivers and Lakes: In Kentucky, 35.8 percent of surveyed rivers and streams and 53.4 percent of surveyed lakes have been classified as impaired. Agriculture is one of the leading causes of nonpoint source pollution in Kentucky, contributing to excess nutrient and pathogens in Kentucky's lakes and streams.
Efforts to increase funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in the next farm bill would help more Kentucky farmers adopt practices to reduce the level of sedimentation, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into Kentucky waters. The current backlog of EQIP funding in Kentucky is $44 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 Kentucky watersheds. Although soil loss is declining, Kentucky still loses approximately 18 million tons of soil per year from cropland. Through the CRP, farmers can retire highly erodible land without incurring economic costs. Just recently, the state teamed up with USDA and private groups to protect more than 100,000 acres in the Green River watershed with a $110 million from the Kentucky Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
Safer Drinking Water: In Kentucky, 8 drinking water systems serving 4,560 people exceeded EPA's nitrate threshold from 1995 through 2000. Pesticide use in Kentucky is 9.1 million pounds per year and nitrate use is 226,000 tons per year. Through USDA technical assistance and EQIP, Kentucky farmers could implement practices to reduce the use of these chemicals and prevent them from contaminating Kentucky's water bodies and source drinking water areas.
Protected Open Space and Working Landscapes: America's most profitable agriculture takes place near population centers. More than half of the value of American agricultural production comes from counties in and around urban areas. Every year, Kentucky loses an average of 23,000 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 28,000 acres into the Farmland Protection Program. The Kind-Gilchrest proposal would dedicate $500 million a year to FPP, which would help Kentucky farmers protect their farmland for future generations. The Kind-Gilchrest proposal would also augment programs like the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Community Farmer's Market grant program that helps communities and farmers develop new markets for local products.
Enhanced Wildlife Habitat: Kentucky farmland is home to many species of game and non-game wildlife, including deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbit, quail, squirrel and grouse. Although Kentucky farmers have enrolled over 330,000 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. Kentucky farmers volunteered to enroll 4,504 acres in the WRP last year in permanent protection and another 410 acres under 30 year easements. At least $5.0 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. Currently, 153 applications from farmers and ranchers totaling $320,000 are unfunded in Kentucky. 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 Kentucky producers are moving towards organic production, with 5,416 acres of farmland now growing organically. Since organic food is one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S. food industry, Kentucky 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 Kentucky farmers who want to switch to organic farming.
Copyright 2003, Environmental Working
Group. All Rights Reserved.
Headquarters 1436 U St.
N.W., Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20009 || info@ewg.org
California Office
1904 Franklin St. Suite 703 | Oakland, CA 94612 || california@ewg.org