Senate Passes ‘Conservation-Minded’ Farm Bill, Sends to President’s Desk
Bipartisan, bicameral bill addresses sportsmen’s consensus priorities, advances to president for signing into law
This afternoon, the U.S. Senate voted 68-32 in support of the federal Farm Bill, advancing the mammoth legislation to the president’s desk and helping secure critical private-lands conservation programs key to hunting and fishing in the United States, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership announced today.
The TRCP and many of its sportsmen partners commended last week’s passage of the bill by the House of Representatives and praised the bill’s conservation provisions overall.
“The new Farm Bill addresses key sportsmen’s priorities, including re-linking conservation compliance with the federal crop insurance program, implementing a ‘Sodsaver’ provision aimed at conserving intact prairie grasslands, continuing the Conservation Reserve Program and expanding incentives for sportsmen’s access on private lands,” said Steve Kline, TRCP director of government relations. “The commitment and strong advocacy by key House and Senate leaders should be applauded by sportsmen around the country.
“Over the past two-plus years that Congress has been debating its reauthorization, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired, been extended and expired again,” stated Kline. “At long last, however, this conservation-minded bill appears to be close to completion. The significance of this victory for sportsmen, fish and wildlife, and the nation’s outdoors-focused economy cannot be overstated.”
Learn more about the bill and read responses from TRCP partners to last week’s House vote.
Read the TRCP 2014 Conservation Policy Agenda.
In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt said, “There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country.” While in the political arena, he succeeded in making conservation a top tier national issue.
T.R. had the foresight to address these issues still so significant to sportsmen today, understanding that if we want to ensure critical habitat, special hunting grounds and secret fishing holes will be around for future generations, we must plan carefully today.
The TRCP is working to guarantee all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish.
