Number: 1976-11
WHEREAS, the Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP), a cost-sharing program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, has evolved over the years since its establishment in the mid-1930’s into a program aimed principally at increasing agricultural production by providing federal matching funds for many short-term production-oriented practices; and
WHEREAS, the program was designed to get conservation practices applied on farmlands; and
WHEREAS, Title I of P.L. 93-86 (the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973) was intended to reorient the ACP into a program designed to obtain needed conservation on farmlands beyond that which the farmer would be willing to undertake unassisted but which is in the public’s greater interest, such as wildlife conservation, tree planting, shelterbelt construction, and other long-term, enduring soil, water, and woodland conservation practices; and
WHEREAS, Title X of P.L. 93-86 provided for the establishment of national, state, and country ASC committees and program administrators to select environmentally-sound ACP practices; and further provided authority for the purchase of perpetual easements to promote sound use and management of flood plains, shore lands, and aquatic areas; and
WHEREAS, the ACP has, in spite of P.L. 93-86 continued to be operated as a program principally designed to increase farm income by subsidizing short-term production-oriented farming practices rather than long-term conservation practices; and
WHEREAS, Advisory boards have not been established in many states, as required by Section 1007 (a), Title X, P.L. 93-86; and
WHEREAS, the national advisory board, though established, has never met to carry out its responsibilities under Section 1007 (b), Title X, P.L. 93-86; and
WHEREAS, the Administration has never sought funds to purchase perpetual easements to promote sound use and management of flood plains, shore lands, and aquatic areas;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 19-21, 1976, in Louisville, Ky., hereby recommends that the ACP be reoriented into a program designed to encourage long-term enduring conservation practices which are in the interest of the greater public, as intended by Title X, P.L. 93-86; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of Agriculture appoint and convene a complete set of state advisory boards as provided for in Public Law 93-86; and call an annual meeting of the national advisory board provided for in Public Law 93-86 to review the proposed ACP before regulations and/or guidelines are promulgated and distributed to state and county ASC committees.