FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 1996
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- "Professional environmental lobbyists from the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society and other environmental groups here in Washington are opposing reauthorization of the CRP program," according to Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District). "We have worked out an agreement for a clean reauthorization of CRP for seven years and these groups are showing their true colors by opposing what we've been working on for two years. Minnesotans need to know that these environmental groups are working against mainstream conservation. They are telling people to vote against farmers and against hunters."
Peterson has joined with Representatives Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), who has been an environmental leader in Congress, and Bill Barrett (R-NE) to produce an amendment to the Farm Bill that would reauthorize the Conservation Reserve Program. A vote on this bi-partisan conservation amendment is expected tomorrow.
"I developed this amendment with the support of Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, the Sportsmans' Caucus, the National Wildlife Federation and other conservation groups," Peterson said. "And after two years of work, we finally have the chance to reauthorize Minnesota's most important federal conservation program in the Farm Bill on Thursday."
Earlier this year, Peterson was able to get an amendment adopted that removed two very damaging provisions for CRP from the Farm Bill. Peterson's amendment took out the portion of the Farm Bill that placed a revolving door on CRP land. It also deleted a provision that said there would be no new CRP enrollments in 1997.