The October 19, 2001 letter from the White House, signed by Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and OMB Director Mitch Daniels, clearly outlines the Administration’s preferences related to the farm bill.

All of the Administration’s objectives can be accomplished. Here’s how

The Administration has asked for a farm policy to be developed that-- 1) "better serves our farmers and ranchers …" 2) "broadens support to more medium and small producers," 3) "revitalizes rural America," 4) "improves the environment, and" 5) "addresses important infrastructure and nutrition needs."

The letter says 6) "We believe that working cooperatively with congressional leaders and farm, trade conservation and other groups, we can develop a broad consensus on good public policy that meets these objectives."

In addition, the letter states that 7) "The Administration is committed to adequate funding for a new … farm bill that provides an effective safety net for a broader cross-section of producers."

Many farm groups want the immediate assurance of 1) strong commodity programs, which they know and trust, and 2) a farm bill that is completed as soon as possible, so they have the ability to go into the planting season knowing they can secure production loans, and remain in business for the another year. 

Here’s one way in which the Administration’s preferences can be incorporated into the farm bill: 

A critical provision in the farm bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives (contained in Sec. 256, Title II of HR 2646) would satisfy several of the Administration’s objectives including numbers 2, 3, 4 and 7 above. 

The expanded language for the Farmland Stewardship Program included in Sec. 256 of S. 1673 also provides for the establishment of a "Farmland Stewardship Council" that brings together representatives of federal agencies, state associations representing governors, agricultural commissioners and other agencies and farm, trade conservation and other groups. The purpose of the Council is to develop a broad consensus on good public policy that meets the many of the Administration’s objectives.

There is not time, and there are too many other pressing matters on the national agenda, to allow for adequate dialog and an adequate interchange of ideas between all stakeholder groups to develop a thoughtful, thorough approach to a completely new farm policy in the next few months. But it would be possible to do this over the next three years through the structure that has been established within in the Farmland Stewardship Program for the Stewardship Council.

The Principles for Conservation included in the Administration’s recent agricultural policy report, "Food and Agricultural Policy Taking Stock for the 21st Century," emphasized the need to:

1. It broadens support to more medium and small producers;
2. It includes provisions to revitalize rural America;
3. It will improve the environment;
4. For example, it will offer voluntary, incentive-based payments to American farmers and ranchers to improve watershed quality, drinking water supplies, surface and ground water conservation, flood control, nutrient management and agricultural sustainability;
5. It will improve profitability for producers;
6. It will provide a reliable, dependable revenue stream to supplement regular farm income;
7. It can be used to help farmers establish experimental crops;
8. It can be used to encourage the development and use of crops and crop byproducts as bio-fuels to help meet the nation’s energy needs,
9. It can be used to combine different regulatory obligations into a single operating plan and, as a result,
10. It provides an effective safety net for a broader cross-section of producers.

The Farmland Stewardship Program takes a streamlined approach to the administration of all existing conservation programs, by consolidating many different programs through a one-stop-shopping approach, with one application, one conservation farm plan, one set of paperwork, one all-encompassing agreement and a single payment system. As a result, needless expense, paperwork and delay are eliminated, so that limited tax dollars can be used, not for administration, but for putting conservation on the ground.

It is part conservation plan, part business plan, part economic development plan, and part research and development plan.

Moreover, no new money is needed to implement the Farmland Stewardship Program. This is because it draws on existing program funds for the assembly of stewardship agreements, and delivers these program dollars to producers in a much more effective, efficient way.

The program will complement all the conservation programs in the Conservation Titles of BOTH the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill. 

It also can make 3 conservation provisions in the Senate Farm Bill -- the Conservation Security Program (Sec. 201), Partnerships & Cooperation (Sec. 203), and Reform and Assessment of Conservation Programs (Sec. 205) – even more effective.

Finally, it will allow existing programs to be used more effectively in local situations, since it provides a means of adapting these programs to local needs, without changing the overall intent, purpose or restrictions associated with these programs.

Please Ensure the Farmland Stewardship Program is Retained in the Conference Committee Farm Bill.

For further information, please contact Craig Evans, President, Florida Stewardship Foundation, 621 N.W. 53rd Street, Suite 240, Boca Raton, Florida 33487, Cell phone 561-289-9690, Email info@privatelands.org

For a full list of benefits, go to www.privatelands.org/35_benefits.htm