Farm Bill

Coalition Applauds Sen. Stabenow for Introducing Key Farm Bill Amendment

ANN ARBOR, MI (October 24)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today applauded Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for introducing an amendment to re-authorize a vital program in the Farm Bill, the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. 

“We thank Sen. Stabenow for standing up for the Great Lakes and the millions of people who depend on them for their economy and quality of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “The program is one of the manageable solutions we need to implement now to restore the lakes, because the longer we Read More » »

Money, Money, Money…Money

Most things really do come down to money. Conserving and restoring the Great Lakes is one more example that this adage bares truth. The Farm Bill is up for reauthorization – the outcome of the Senate’s deliberations will be in effect for the next half decade – and it is critical that the program that helps Great Lakes farmers conserve land, farm wisely and protect the health of the lakes gets additional funding.

In the past, farmers who have wanted to participate in the conservation program that improves water quality and restores wildlife habitats that supports an $18 billion hunting and Read More » »

URGE GREAT LAKES SENATORS NOT TO CUT BACK FARM BILL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Farm Bill conservation programs are critical to restoring the Great Lakes. They help farmers put marginal cropland to work for the health of the Great Lakes. However many more Great Lakes farm families want to participate in the Farm Bill conservation programs than can be accommodated because of insufficient federal funding. Conservation programs are woefully under-funded. Two out of three farmers willing to take actions to help the environment are turned down due to lack of funds.

Now, the United States Senate may cut conservation programs even further as it rewrites a new Farm Bill within the next few weeks.

You can Read More » »

HOW Coalition Issues Farm Bill Statement

The conservation programs associated with the Farm Bill - WRP, CRP, EQIP, and programs with other fun acronyms - are critical to habitat restoration in the Great Lakes. Simply put, we can’t achieve the goals laid out by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration without them. That’s why the Healing Our Waters® Coalition has released a position statement on the 2007 Farm Bill.

Several Members of Congress from Great Lakes states sit on key committees with a say on the bill, including Congressman Peterson (D-MN) who chairs the House Ag Committee.

2007 Farm Bill Position Statement

Great Lakes Restoration and the Farm Bill

As the U.S. Congress prepares to rewrite some of the nation’s most successful conservation programs, those contained in the Farm Bill, the Healing Our Waters coalition has released a new report urging lawmakers to expand and fully fund programs in the bill that are essential in the effort to restore the Great Lakes. Farm Bill programs provide farmers with funding and technical assistance to restore and protect wildlife habitat, which supports the regional $18 billion annual hunting, fishing and wildlife watching industry. The programs also restore wetlands and other habitat that serves to Read More » »