FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Lori Harrison, 703-684-2480
lharrison@wef.org
December 13, 2006
WEF Releases Position Statement on 2007 Farm Bill Reauthorization
Alexandria, Va. - The Water Environment Federation's (WEF) Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday, December 12 to approve the Federation's position statement on the 2007 Farm Bill reauthorization effort. The statement offers primary strategies and recommendations to Congress as it considers renewal of agricultural programs adopted under the 2002 legislation.
The current Farm Bill made important strides in establishing and strengthening agricultural support programs designed to improve on-farm conservation efforts. These programs, including the Environment Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and the Conservation Security Program (CSP), assist farmers in implementing best management practices to achieve environmental benefits, including watershed-based techniques that improve water quality. Water quality professionals, agricultural producers, and rural and urban communities share common interests as stewards of water resources and WEF believes that the 2007 reauthorization bill could provide an opportunity to build on the progress of these programs and foster greater collaboration between municipal and agricultural communities.
"The Water Environment Federation is very interested in identifying and promoting opportunities within the agricultural community to implement watershed-based approaches to their conservation efforts," said WEF President Mohamed Dahab. "We hope the strategies and recommendations outlined in this position statement will help further collaboration between interested parties, implement the goals of the Farm Bill, and encourage Congress to continue a focus on agricultural conservation practices."
WEF's recommendations include strengthening and targeting conservation programs to achieve greater water quality improvements in critical watersheds; fostering greater collaboration between the municipal treatment sector and livestock producers to improve manure management; and establishing more effective mechanisms - including water quality trading - to achieve greater nutrient controls on farms.
Congress is expected to vote on the reauthorization in early 2007. The USDA and House and Senate Agriculture Committees have held a series of "Farm Bill Forums" around the country to get public input on legislative priorities and will continue to seek public comment on farm policy-related issues.
WEF's Position Statement on the 2007 Farm Bill Reauthorization is available on the Federation's web site at www.wef.org.
About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 76 Member Associations in 30 countries.