11/1/05
The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee voted last month to cut more than $1 billion from conservation programs in the 2006 agriculture budget. Instead of enacting payment limits on excessive commodity crop subsidies, Committee Chair Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) led a charge to slash conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program and the Conservation Security Program, along with basic farm supports paid to most U.S. farmers. Simply passing a $250,000 payment limit on crop subsidies, as proposed by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), would save approximately $1 billion, which would restore significant conservation funding.

On Thursday, Nov. 3, the Senate will vote on a payment limitation reform amendment offered by Sen. Grassley and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and other bipartisan co-sponsors from the floor. Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) supports conservation funding and payment limits on commodity crop subsidies as proposed by Sen. Grassley. Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), however, has indicated so far that he is following Georgia Sen. Chambliss’ lead and opposing crop subsidy payment limits while slashing conservation. Sen. Coleman needs to hear from you. This is considered the biggest agriculture vote of the year.

Call Sen. Norm Coleman at 202-224-5641 and tell him to support conservation by voting to support the "Grassley-Dorgan Budget amendment." This amendment would save approximately $1 billion dollars and direct the savings towards restoring funds to conservation and basic farm support programs.

Please take action by Thursday, Nov. 3.

For more information, contact the Land Stewardship Project’s Policy Program at 612-722-6377 or marks@landstewardshipproject.org. More information is also available at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_051007.htm.