Izaak Walton League divisions, chapters and members in Iowa and
Illinois sent letters to their respective delegations in the U.S. House of
Representatives urging them to prioritize conservation programs on working
lands in the Farm Bill.
The letter reads in part, “Recent developments on the Farm Bill
have been encouraging, and we commend Chairman Thompson’s commitment to
advancing the process in a timely and bipartisan manner…. There is no
time to wait for this important legislation. In the process, we urge you to
keep working lands programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) top priority.”
The League said these programs benefit all by protecting water
quality, improving soil health and creating wildlife habitat. Yet, thousands of
farmers in their respective states are being turned away due to limited
resources available for the programs. With Farm Bill funding negotiations
ahead, lawmakers have an opportunity to direct additional resources to these
programs and help meet demand.
Letter to U.S. Representatives, Iowa
May 13, 2024
The Honorable Mariannette Miller-Meeks
The Honorable Ashley Hinson
The Honorable Zach Nunn
The Honorable Randy Feenstra
United States House of Representatives
Dear Representatives Miller-Meeks, Hinson, Nunn and Feenstra,
We, the undersigned, represent Iowa’s 6,700 members of the Izaak Walton League of America. As your constituents and neighbors, we urge you to prioritize conservation in the Farm Bill and respond to Iowa farmers’ demand for working lands conservation programs.
Recent developments on the Farm Bill have been encouraging, and we commend Chairman Thompson’s commitment to advancing the process in a timely and bipartisan manner. There is no time to wait for this important legislation.
Reallocating Inflation Reduction Act funds to Title II conservation programs, which the Chairman intends to do, will be a sound investment that pays off many times over. In the process, we urge you to keep working lands programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) top priority.
On working agricultural lands, USDA’s voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs help producers adopt beneficial practices alongside production. In Iowa, top practices include cover crops, no-till, nutrient management and prescribed grazing. These types of activities benefit us all by building soil health, improving water quality, creating valuable wildlife habitat and more.
Yet, USDA is turning thousands of Iowa farmers away due to limited funding. In 2023, 3,898 applied for EQIP. Only 840 were enrolled. For CSP, only 555 of 1,224 were accepted. This disparity is due to the limited funding available, not merits or eligibility. Oversubscription for these programs has persisted for years, both here and across the country.
Leadership on working lands conservation is homegrown in Iowa. Our farmers are asking for more support to deploy beneficial practices. As you and your colleagues negotiate our nation’s next Farm Bill, please prioritize conservation on working lands to meet the demand and move the needle.
Respectfully,
Iowa Division of the Izaak Walton League of America
Ames Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Clinton County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Des Moines Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Ding Darling Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Dragoon Trail Chapter (Ankeny), Izaak Walton League of America
Emerson Hough Chapter (Newton), Izaak Walton League of America
Emmet County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Floyd County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Iowa County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Linn County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Panora Conservation Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Sabula Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Three Rivers Chapter (Waverly), Izaak Walton League of America
Warren County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
West Central Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Worth County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Bill and Vicki Arnold, Dubuque Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Dan Ramaeker, President, Worth County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Neil Hamilton, member, Izaak Walton League of America
Letter to U.S. Representatives, Illinois
May 14, 2024
The Honorable Jonathan Jackson
The Honorable Robin Kelly
The Honorable Delia Ramirez
The Honorable Jesús Garcia
The Honorable Mike Quigley
The Honorable Sean Casten
The Honorable Danny Davis
The Honorable Raja Krishnamoorthi
The Honorable Jan Schakowsky
The Honorable Brad Schneider
The Honorable Bill Foster
The Honorable Mike Bost
The Honorable Nikki Budzinski
The Honorable Lauren Underwood
The Honorable Mary Miller
The Honorable Darin LaHood
The Honorable Eric Sorensen
United States House of Representatives
Dear Representatives,
We, the undersigned, represent Illinois’ more than 1,000 members of the Izaak Walton League of America. As your constituents and neighbors, we urge you to prioritize conservation in the Farm Bill and respond to Illinois farmers’ demand for working lands conservation programs.
Recent developments on the Farm Bill have been encouraging, and we commend Chairman Thompson’s commitment to advancing the process in a timely and bipartisan manner. There is no time to wait for this important legislation.
Reallocating Inflation Reduction Act funds to Title II conservation programs, which the Chairman intends to do, will be a sound investment that pays off many times over. In the process, we urge you to keep working lands programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) top priority.
On working agricultural lands, USDA’s voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs help producers adopt beneficial practices alongside production. In Illinois, top practices include cover crops, no-till, nutrient management and terraces. These types of activities benefit us all by building soil health, improving water quality, creating valuable wildlife habitat and more.
Yet, USDA is turning thousands of Illinois farmers away due to limited funding. In 2023, 2,906 Illinois farmers applied for EQIP. Only 572 were enrolled. For CSP, only 398 of 1,296 were accepted. This disparity is due to the limited funding available, not merits or eligibility. Oversubscription for these programs has persisted for years, both here and across the country.
Leadership on working lands conservation is homegrown in Illinois. Our farmers are asking for more support to deploy beneficial practices. As you and your colleagues negotiate our nation’s next Farm Bill, please prioritize conservation on working lands to meet the demand and move the needle.
Respectfully,
Illinois Division of the Izaak Walton League of America
Chicago No. 1 Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Des Plaines Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Elgin Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Geneseo Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Havana Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Kewanee Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Woodford County Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America
Staff Contact
Kate Hansen, Agriculture Program Director, khansen@iwla.org
Founded in 1922, the Izaak Walton League fights for clean air and water, healthy fish and wildlife habitat and conservation of our natural resources for future generations. The League plays a unique role in supporting community-based science and local conservation and has a long legacy of shaping sound national policy. See www.iwla.org.