WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement on the new, robust conservation funding signed into law last year that supports our nation’s farmers.
“The climate crisis is the most urgent threat facing our farmers today, and all farmers benefit when we take this threat seriously. I am excited to see the record level of applications for these new, robust conservation resources. There are more than $2 billion in requests to participate in the Regional Conservation Partnership Program alone, which by far outpaces the available funding.
“This new funding supports voluntary, popular, locally led conservation programs like EQIP that our farmers support, want, and are putting to work on their farms. Nearly half of all currently funded applications are implementing climate-smart agriculture practices, and our farmers are excited about the potential of these programs to benefit the climate and their own bottom lines.
“It is surprising to see that these popular resources are being targeted for other priorities, but I am committed to defending them for their intended purposes. I know that there is a broad coalition of support standing with me.”
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