New Conservation Incentives Will Aid America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharyn Stein, Environmental Defense Fund, 202-572-3396 [email protected]

Washington, DC – October 3, 2008) A new package of conservation incentives will bring much needed help to farmers’ efforts to restore America’s wetlands, according to one of the country’s leading environmental advocacy groups.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the incentives earlier today for wetlands restorations under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Environmental Defense Fund experts are praising the plan, which they say will provide dramatic environmental benefits.

“We have been working for years to encourage incentives like these,” said Sara Hopper, Agricultural Policy Director for Environmental Defense Fund. “We applaud today’s announcement by FSA. There’s a lot of pressure to farm on marginal lands right now because of record high commodity prices. These incentives will help conservation remain a competitive financial option for private landowners. The new incentives will also help more farmers and landowners restore wetlands, which filter polluted water and provide important habitat for wildlife.”

The incentives are designed to support restoration of wetlands, both in floodplains and in other areas, and restoration of duck nesting habitat. The funding is also aimed at restoring bottomland timber forests in the floodplains of some of America’s major rivers and tributaries, which has been a particular priority for Environmental Defense Fund.

“Planting more bottomland hardwood trees on the banks of rivers will help protect the health and safety of people across the Midwest and South,” said Terry Noto, a conservation expert working with Environmental Defense Fund. “These wetland forests improve the quality of our drinking water, provide floodwater storage, and reduce the severity of flooding downstream. They provide vital habitat for endangered species, migratory birds and game. Planting more trees will also help us sequester more than one million tons of carbon. The new plan provides badly needed incentives, and we think they’ll be worth every penny.”

The specific incentives include:

• A signing incentive payment of $100 per acre for enrolling in the program;
• A 40 percent practice incentive payment, which — combined with the current 50 percent cost-share rate — provides as much as 90 percent of the cost of restoring wetlands and planting vegetation;
• A 20 percent bonus on current CRP soil rental rates.

“We’re thrilled to see this plan go forward today,” said Hopper.  “America has lost so many of its native wetlands. This is a significant opportunity to help farmers help the environment.”

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Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.