U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) convened a subcommittee hearing on Monday to hear testimony from a panel of witnesses that included farmers and ranchers about the effectiveness of conservation policies ahead of the next farm bill.
Congress is entering into the farm bill reauthorization against a much different backdrop than when the Agricultural Act of 2014 was implemented. Net farm income has been cut in half over the past four years, the steepest four-year percentage decline since the start of the Great Depression, Lucas said in opening remarks.
Over the next month, each subcommittee on the House Agriculture Committee will hold hearings about different portions of the farm bill. Tuesday’s hearing focused on voluntary conservation initiatives.
Lucas, the chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, said the nation’s voluntary conservation initiatives have undergone substantive changes in recent decades, and he’s proud of the work that has been accomplished.
“Voluntary conservation programs work largely because of the commitment our farmers, ranchers and foresters have made to implementing these important conservation practices on their operations,” Lucas said. “As we begin our work on the next farm bill, conservation policy will continue to be based on voluntary, incentive-based practices that enable producers to continue preserving the land to enhance its long-term viability for the future.”
U.S. Rep. Michael Conaway (R-TX), the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said those who make their livings off the land understand how critical it is to preserve the nation’s natural resources.
“As we begin to craft the next farm bill, it is important we recognize the environmental gains these producers continue to achieve through voluntary conservation,” Conaway said. “America’s producers are voluntarily reducing soil erosion, increasing wetlands, improving water quality and preserving farmland and wildlife habitats. This committee is consistently reminded that locally led, voluntary conservation practices work, and I look forward to continuing to review our nation’s conservation policies to ensure they work for rural America.”