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Date: June 8, 2006
Release No. 0201.06
Delaware Contact: Stuart A. Lee
Phone: 302.678.4179
Subject: JOHANNS RELEASES CONSERVATION PAPER; SECOND OF 2007 FARM BILL THEME
PAPERS
DES MOINES, June 8, 2006-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today released a
conservation program analysis paper authored by USDA economists. This is the
second in a series of papers intended to provide factual information about
specific topics and continue the national discussion about policy alternatives
in preparation for the 2007 Farm Bill. Johanns discussed the paper today at the
World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. Johanns also announced the next subject for
analysis will be rural development.
"It's important to have all the facts on the table as we continue our national
conversation about future farm policy," said Johanns. "These analysis papers
educate the public about how our programs operate and how they might be
redesigned. The alternatives are not USDA policy proposals, rather an effort by
some of the finest economists in the world to provide straightforward
information. I'm confident many of our stakeholders will be as fascinated by the
analysis as I have been."
At the end of March, Johanns announced the release of 41 papers summarizing the
4,000 comments received during 52 USDA Farm Bill Forums and via the Internet. In
preparing for the 2007 farm bill, USDA is gathering from these papers a number
of themes that warrant further analysis. The first analysis paper, released in
May, focused on risk management.
The conservation paper is authored by a team led by the Office of the USDA Chief
Economist with input from the Economic Research Service (ERS), the Farm Service
Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It contains
factual, useful information for examining future farm policy directions.
The paper discusses natural resource issues, current USDA conservation programs
administered by FSA and NRCS and policy alternatives. These alternatives are
ideas generated by USDA's economists and are generalized approaches to
addressing conservation and environmental issues on agricultural lands. They are
not policy recommendations and are presented for public discussion.
The conservation paper is available at: http://www.usda.gov/farmbill.
Transcripts of the Farm Bill Forums and the 41 Farm Bill comment summary papers
are also posted there.
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