National Association of Conservation Districts

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACD EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

LOS ANGELES—February 6, 2007—National Association of Conservation Districts leadership today expressed concern about natural resources and environment provisions of the Bush Administration’s proposed 2008 fiscal year budget.

While the budget provides limited increases for some key program areas, it proposes reduced funding for others.

“We were surprised and disappointed with the proposal,” said NACD President Bill Wilson while attending the organization’s 61 st annual meeting here. “We had hoped that the administration budget would reflect the commitment to conservation reflected in the US Department of Agriculture’s 2007 Farm Bill proposal.” NACD expressed support for the concepts in the USDA proposal released last week and had hoped to see funding in the administration’s budget reflect that commitment to America’s working lands owners and the nation’s natural resources.

Key programs affecting conservation district members and customers, program funding levels as proposed in the president’s FY 2008 budget and comparisons to last year include:

• Conservation Operations: $802 million, up from $791 million in FY 2007.
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program: $1 billion, down $270 million from Farm Bill authorized levels.
• Conservation Security Program: Proposed spending cap of $316 million, up from $259 million in FY07.
• Conservation Reserve Program Technical Assistance: $58 million, down from $80 million.
• US Forest Service State and Private Forestry: $202 million, down from $228 million in FY07.
• Resource Conservation and Development: $15 million, down from $51 million last year.
• Watershed Programs: $6 million, down from $75 million.

While expressing concern, Wilson said NACD will seek support in Congress to provide adequate funding levels for these and other key programs. “This is just the start. We will work with Congress to address these numbers and hopefully improve funding levels for conservation programs,” he said.

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The National Association of Conservation Districts is the non-profit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts and 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For almost 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. NACD’s website is at www.nacdnet.org.