This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to debate the Farm Bill. The outcome of this debate is incredibly important to the nation’s waters, soil, health, and nutrition. Please tell your Representative to make sure that farmers who receive crop subsidies implement basic conservation practices to ensure that pollution and topsoil don’t flow into neighboring rivers:http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50843/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=11269This policy is known as “conservation compliance” and it is very simple: If you are a farmer and want to receive federally-subsidized crop insurance, you are required to demonstrate how you will protect your most fragile and highly-erodible land. Conservation compliance would help reduce pollution that causes the annual Gulf Dead Zone, as well as prevent soil erosion, cut federal expenditures, and help keep wetland and grassland ecosystems healthy.Unfortunately, the linkage between crop insurance subsidies and conservation was stripped from the Farm Bill several years ago. It’s time to bring these important protections back. Take a minute to ask your Representative to support conservation compliance, and a strong Farm Bill that will make our nation’s waters and communities healthier.Matt is GRN’s Science and Water Policy Director.
