Conservation in the 1990 farm bill: The revolution continues

Excerpt

DEBATE on the 1990 farm bill has concluded. The affected parties are sifting through its copious provisions. Participants in the debate are lauding their victories and silent on their defeats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tens of teams reviewing its mandates and exploring implementation options. These mandates create major opportunities for USDA, but they also might threaten certain existing institutions and programs and even some established ways of doing business. Now is an opportune time to review the debate just concluded and to offer thoughts about future implications.

In 1985, that farm bill's conservation provisions were hailed as “the most significant in 50 years.” Their significance was in how they redefined conservation by enhancing and refining the traditional soil conservation effort. Only swampbuster was a truly new direction. For the conservation community, it was like sticking one foot into murky waters while standing on the shore.

Provisions enacted in 1990 have the potential to alter and redirect conservation efforts even more profoundly. These provisions make little mention of erosion control while elevating water quality and other environmental topics to the top of the conservation agenda. For the conservation community this time around it …