The National Association of Conservation Districts and a coalition of 165 leading agriculture, conservation and wildlife groups sent a letter to Congress urging them to ensure that the proposed $28 billion investment into U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agriculture conservation programs and conservation technical assistance remains in the final budget reconciliation package.
“Increasing funding for USDA’s popular and effective Farm Bill conservation programs is one of the quickest and most practical ways to energize rural economies, improve climate resilience, and ensure that our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters are part of the solution to climate change,” the coalition wrote.
The letter asks lawmakers to maintain the proposed investment into conservation programs and climate-smart agriculture, which will ramp up conservation technical assistance on the ground.
“This would be the largest investment into agriculture conservation in decades and would be transformative for farms, ranches, and forests across the country,” the letter noted.