Chairman Lucas Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on Conservation Programs

Name: Chairman Lucas Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on Conservation Programs
Uploaded: 2011-07-07T04:00:00.000Z
Duration: 2 min 45 s
Channel: House Ag GOP
Description: July 7, 2011 - The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, continued the audit hearings on farm policy, which is the first step in the farm bill process. Each chairman of the six subcommittees will hold hearings to examine programs in their respective jurisdictions to determine spending trends and confirm how programs work together.

House Ag GOP

2 Video Views·Jul 7, 2011

July 7, 2011 - The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, continued the audit hearings on farm policy, which is the first step in the farm bill process. Each chairman of the six subcommittees will hold hearings to examine programs in their respective jurisdictions to determine spending trends and confirm how programs work together.

in the hearing by the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Chairman Lucas, I recognize for an opening statement. Thank you, Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Holden, for holding today's hearing to examine conservation programs. During the past two Farm Bills, I served as Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Subcommittee for Jurisdiction over the Conservation Title. My aren't free elections a wondrous thing. Both in 2008 and 2002, Farm Bills saw exponential growth in conservation programs. In 2002, we increased conservation spending in the 2002 Farm Bill by $17 billion over 10 years, an 80% expansion that created, I think, one of the greenest Farm Bills in history. This legislation increased our commitment to important programs like CRP, EQIP, and helped multiple participation in conservation practices. In the 2008 Farm Bill, we built upon the historic conservation title by adding $4 billion over 10 years. That conservation title included new regional and cooperative partnership programs as well as reauthorization and increased funding for existing programs. These programs have created many new ways for producers and conservation organizations to achieve shared goals. Farmers and ranchers, with the assistance of these programs, have worked voluntarily to help reduce soil erosion, increase wetlands, improve water quality, and preserve farmland and wildlife habitat. However, as we work towards the next Farm Bill, this committee will be faced with a very different budget situation. Not only will the Agriculture Committee have to do our part within the overall deficit situation, but as all of us know, we literally have dozens of programs, as been alluded to by the Chairman and Ranking Member, with no baselines, many under the umbrella of conservation. Conservation is an important element of farm policy. Farmers and ranchers make their living off the land, and they are committed to preserving and protecting it for future generations. As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to ensure that conservation policy is effective without being duplicative or too costly. This is especially important in the current fiscal environment. Today's audit will help us evaluate our current policy so that we can determine what's working, what needs to be adjusted, and what can be eliminated. This is a critical step in the process of developing the next Farm Bill. I thank all of you for being here and participating today, and I can only say that I have the greatest confidence in the gentleman from Pennsylvania when we make those tough decisions in the coming days, months, and year. You'll back the balance of my time, Mr. Chairman.