DU urges Farm Bill conference for conservation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 3, 2018 - As Congress reconciles the Senate and House Farm Bills, Ducks Unlimited remains committed to passing a bill that delivers strong voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs that promote healthy wildlife habitats benefiting all Americans.
"As a fifth-generation farmer and rancher from Texas, I've seen firsthand how important agriculture is in achieving our nation&squo;s conservation goals,&dquo; said Ducks Unlimited President Rogers Hoyt. "Ducks Unlimited urges Congress to swiftly appoint conferees who will begin the work of reaching consensus and send a bill to the president&squo;s desk. We look forward to working with the conference committee to ensure that the final bill includes a conservation title that provides a strong safety net for producers and abundant wildlife habitat for future generations to enjoy.&dquo;
Ducks Unlimiteds volunteer leaders-who have engaged throughout the Farm Bill reauthorization process with the Senate and House agriculture committees through hearings, field tours and personal meetings-are pleased to see many of Ducks Unlimited&squo;s policy priorities reflected in both bills. Ducks Unlimited&squo;s 2018 Farm Bill priorities can be seen here.
Approximately seventy percent of the land in the lower 48 states is privately owned. As the largest federal investment in private lands conservation in the country, the Farm Bill plays a vital role in helping America&squo;s farmers, ranchers and other private landowners conserve our nation&squo;s diverse wildlife resources.
The current Farm Bill is set to expire September 30, 2018.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.
Media Contact:
Tucker Nelson
(202) 347-1530
tnelson@ducks.org