|
|
|
|
|
Contact: Marc Miller, Watershed Organizer
Prairie Rivers Network Phone: (217) 344-2371 Fax: (217) 344-2381
Media ReleasePrairie Rivers Network Lobbies Congress for Strong Farm Bill Conservation ProgramsChampaign, June 20, 2001: Prairie Rivers Network staff traveled to Washington, D.C. earlier this week to lobby Congress for strong voluntary conservation incentives in the upcoming 2002 Farm Bill. The 2002 Farm Bill will set the standard for U.S. agricultural policy on Illinois’ working lands and is a tremendous opportunity to restore and maintain water quality, as well as conserve habitat and wildlife through voluntary incentive programs, according to Prairie Rivers Network."Illinois farmers are the state’s most important natural resource managers," said Marc Miller, Watershed Organizer for Prairie Rivers Network. "Reauthorizing and expanding Farm Bill conservation programs is the best way to give Illinois farmers the tools they need to make the state’s working lands an asset for people, water quality, habitat and wildlife." Reauthorizing and expanding voluntary programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), while retaining disincentives for bad practices, during the upcoming reauthorization is critical for water quality and conservation. "With over 77 percent of Illinois land in agricultural production, we need to make conservation of working lands the centerpiece of the Farm Bill," said Miller. Miller met with Congressmen and staffs of 16 of Illinois’ 22 representatives, including Congressmen Jerry Weller (R 11th), Jerry Costello (D 12th), Tim Johnson (R 15th), and David Phelps (D 19th). Photos available upon request. Prairie Rivers Network is a statewide river conservation organization
working on water quality and river conservation issues throughout Illinois.
| |