Urges Congressional Sponsorship, Adoption
U.S. Newswire | July 19, 2001
Florida Stewardship Foundation today hailed the introduction of the American Farmland Stewardship Act (H.R. 2542) by U.S. Rep. Adam H. Putnam of Florida as a potential "environmental breakthrough" and called on other members of Congress to support the legislation.
The bill would provide new incentive-based programs to American farmers and ranchers to protect important natural resources and achieve valuable conservation goals. It would tie together and tailor many diverse conservation programs now available at the local, state and federal levels toward specific environmental goals. It adheres to the recommendations of the Agricultural Stewardship Program proposed by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and those put forth by the National Association of Conservation Districts in its Conservation Incentives Program.
"The voluntary, locally led, incentive-driven agreements expounded in this visionary legislation would encourage large numbers of private landowners to commit to long-term management plans that would maintain, protect and in some cases enhance important wildlife and natural resource habitat across the country," said Craig Evans, foundation president. "I believe the legislation could very well represent an environmental breakthrough for the nation, and I urge members of Congress to sign on a cosponsors."
The bill is based on the farmland stewardship agreement (formerly resource conservation agreement), a new and innovative approach to conservation on private lands developed by conservation interests, agricultural groups, government agencies, private landowners and others during a five-year, consensus-building progress in southwestern Florida. The project, initiated by the foundation as an effort to save the endangered Florida panther's threatened habitat, broadened into a drive to protect natural resources on private agricultural, forestry and ranch land nationwide.
"American farmers and ranchers are stewards of the land and should be encouraged to carry out practices to maintain and to protect our nation's environmental and agricultural resources," said Putnam, in a letter to his colleagues. "Today's agricultural producers face increasing challenges in protecting environmentally sensitive land while ensuring an abundant, safe food supply and the sound future of agricultural production.
"Greater access to conservation programs, with participation by a wide variety of agricultural producers to address unique environmental needs, must be a part of our nation's agricultural conservation policy."
Putnam, Florida's only House Agriculture Committee member, will work to include provisions of the American Farmland Stewardship Act in this year's reauthorization of the Farm Bill.
Additional information on the Farmland Stewardship Agreement is available on the project Web site: www.privatelands.org.
Florida Stewardship Foundation is a private, non-profit organization working to advance initiatives that will engender a thriving rural economy, with an economically robust agriculture, healthy natural environment, viable rural communities and safe, abundant supplies of food and fiber.
CONTACT: Craig Evans, 561-289-9690, for the Florida Stewardship Foundation
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