Wetlands protection: What success?

Excerpt

I many respects, I view implementation of the conservation provisions of the 1985 and 1990 farm bills as a case of the glass being half full, and in some instances, more full than that. But I contend that swampbuster is a different matter. From a conservationist's point of view, the glass looks at least half empty.

Briefly, before I get into swampbuster in detail, I'd like to mention a very positive process on wetlands that the Izaak Walton League has been involved in, and that you may be interested in finding out more about. We helped coordinate a consensus-building process on wetlands with the Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, and last summer released our recommendations, endorsed by 23 groups from more 10 states. (See the JSWC November-December 1992, pg 452).

I think it is worth noting that five farmers most active in developing the consensus all have wetlands on their land. They agreed that swampbuster is a reasonable law, and one the farm community should be able …