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USDA Announcement Advances Private-Land Conservation

WASHINGTON - News that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program was applauded by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership today for the fish and wildlife habitat conservation and sporting opportunities it will facilitate.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement this afternoon in Omaha, Neb., at National Pheasant Fest 2011, the annual sportsmen's gathering sponsored by TRCP partners Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. The secretary was joined by PF/QF leaders and by 14 Nebraska landowners who have engaged in conservation projects on their properties.

A cornerstone of the Farm Bill, the CRP encourages farmers and ranchers to plant ground cover that bolsters soil, water and wildlife resources, improving habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, wild turkeys and many other wildlife species. It also enhances fish habitat through the installation of filter strips and riparian buffers, thereby reducing sediment and chemical runoff.

Through the CRP, private landowners have restored 2 million acres of wetlands and adjacent buffers and conserved 170,000 miles of streams, resulting in the annual production of 13.5 million pheasants nationwide and 2.2 million ducks in the Prairie Pothole region. Learn more about the CRP.

"Sportsmen depend on Farm Bill initiatives like the Conservation Reserve Program to boost fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and fishing on our nation's privately owned agricultural, ranch and forest lands," said TRCP Director of Policy and Government Relations Tom Franklin. "We offer thanks to the Department of Agriculture for opening this window to conservation of these lands, which form a critical component of our continued ability to enjoy America's unique outdoor heritage."

The Farm Bill is one of the nation's most important pieces of legislation for soil and water quality and the fish and wildlife that require high-quality habitat. Learn more about the TRCP's work in support of private-lands conservation.

Contact:
Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, kmckalip@trcp.org