Opportunities for Improvements
Tim Sullivan, Environmental Defense

Excerpt from Program:
"The imminent debate in Congress over reauthorization of the Farm Bill presents an unprecedented opportunity for reform. Trade disputes, budget deficits, environmental challenges, and growing discontent with our farm policy at home and abroad create this opportunity. Farm subsidies do little to help most farmers, and in particular very few ranchers, manage the risks they face despite costing more than $20 billion annually. Due to the high cost of subsidy programs, three out of four farmers and ranchers are rejected when they offer to help share the cost of environmental improvements. The conservation programs in the Farm Bill could do much more to help ranchers and promote stewardship on rangelands. This session will present information on current Farm Bill programs and the context for the upcoming debate in Washington. We will discuss the types of changes that could improve the performance of Farm Bill programs and increase the benefits to both ranching operations and the environment. The program will include a work session to identify ideas for possible inclusion in draft legislation that a large coalition of conservation and sustainable agriculture groups are currently developing."

Presentation Outline:

• Public Benefits from Well-Managed Rangelands
• Rangeland Receives Small Share of Conservation Funds
• Farm Bill Opportunities to Aid Ranchers
• Rangeland Stewardship
• Rangeland Health
• Rewarding Rangeland Stewardship
• Keeping Grassland as Grassland
• Conservation Reserve Program
• EQIP for Rangelands
• Cooperative Conservation
• Enhance Wildlife Habitat
• New Markets and Rural Development
• Questions