National Association of Conservation Districts

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACD APPLAUDS SENATE FARM BILL PROGRESS

NACD President Olin Sims, a rancher from McFadden, Wyoming, today issued the following statement in response to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill proposal.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—October 25, 2007— “Today members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry passed the 2007 Farm Bill out of Committee. On behalf of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), I want to applaud Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) for their efforts to write a comprehensive, bi-partisan bill.

“The committee-passed bill demonstrates a strong commitment to conservation with funding for all current conservation programs. NACD’s members strongly support stewardship incentive programs and we are pleased to see increased funding in the bill for nationwide implementation of the Comprehensive Stewardship Program. The bill includes strong provisions for effective conservation technical assistance delivery—this assistance is critical for implementing conservation practices.

“Conservation districts are committed to locally-led conservation and we will continue to work toward Senate passage of a 2007 Farm Bill that reflects that commitment. Passing the bill out of the Committee brings us one step closer to a new law.”

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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.