National Association of Conservation Districts

Letters

Dear Member of Congress:

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) diligently worked with Congress to help craft the recently passed farm bill.  We were proud to support a bill that was so carefully written.  We realize that you and your colleagues spent many hours working to develop a bill that carefully balanced so many competing interests.  The final bill was a reflection of that hard work.

Now, less than three months after the passage of the bill, the Administration has proposed cuts that would completely change the intent of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.  We are greatly concerned by the recent proposal that would cut many of the conservation programs that were just passed in the farm bill.  The farm bill carefully balances so many needs such as conservation of our natural resources, nutrition programs for those in need, research, and programs to ensure that American agriculture is a viable industry for many generations to come. 

Congress overwhelmingly supported the farm bill.  Now is not the time to cut these important conservation programs.  The department has not even had time to implement these programs.  We need to give this farm bill an opportunity to work.  We work with local conservation districts on a daily basis and can assure you the need for the funding provided to conservation and more specifically the programs proposed for cuts are real.

On behalf of the 3000 conservation districts across the county we respectfully ask you to oppose any cuts to the farm bill funding and specifically the cuts recently proposed.  We would welcome the opportunity to work with you on this very critical matter.  Please do not hesitate to call on us if we can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

John Redding
President

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