Editor’s note: Marilyn Vetter is president and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
September 30 will mark one year since the 2018 Farm Bill expired. Despite the one-year extension, the reality of the situation is clear: Congress owes America a more indefinite solution.
As a hunter and conservationist, I am concerned, but it’s not just about our beloved highlands. Every five years, Capitol Hill has a tremendous opportunity to reinvest in vital parts of our economy, industry and culture.
Yes, protecting the environment is a key part of the Farm Bill and a mission goal of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever and their 477,000 members, supporters and partners. But it’s also about food security, financial performance, climate, pristine water and the rural economy in this country.
The Farm Bill impacts almost every American – and that alone deserves the utmost attention from both sides of the issue.
Minnesota’s annual road survey shows statewide pheasant numbers similar to 2023
In 2023, the number of petite game hunters in Minnesota increased slightly
How do youth hunting seasons impact Minnesota/Wisconsin?
Right now, our opportunity to prioritize agriculture and conservation is greater than ever before – as is the risk that partisan politics will get in the way of supporting our nation’s original conservationists in the form of farmers, ranchers and hunters. The longer we wait, the more opportunities we miss.
In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included enormous investments in the incentive-based voluntary conservation programs authorized in the Farm Bill. These funds provided an additional $19.5 billion for climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration practices on private lands. USDA has yet to spend $14 billion, but Congress faces a historic opportunity to strengthen Farm Bill programs.
The IRA was a one-time investment, and all of those funds will expire in 2031. Or, as leaders in both parties have suggested, Congress could place IRA assets in a conservation title under the Farm Bill, providing a seismic boost to conservation in this country. Reinvestment of IRA dollars would also carry over to future farm bills, meaning a $6 billion-a-year conservation title could result in up to a 25% raise in primary funding – on an ongoing basis.
Congress is currently mired in partisan disputes over several farm bill issues, including how to spend IRA money. If the impasse continues, the country will lose.
Contrary to what some may believe, environmental protection, climate resilience and agriculture are not incompatible. Every day, biologists from Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever and dozens of environmental groups and agencies work with farmers, ranchers and private landowners across the country to balance a vigorous environment with feeding the world.
We can have our cake and eat it too. Collaboration is imperative for our habitats, our wildlife, our agricultural producers and our future.
We’re all working together for the next generation—now it’s time for Congress to do the same by passing legislation in the 2024 Farm Bill.
