Will we measure up?

Excerpt

Two years ago, on May 13, 2002, President Bush signed the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FRSI) into law. SWCS concluded in a report issued in June 2002 that the conservation provisions of the new law created the greatest opportunity for conservation on private land since 1985 and that the additional conservation investment and authorities provided by the law could, if well-directed, make historic progress in managing environmental quality and ensuring the commercial viability of American agriculture.

On May 13, 2004-the second anniversary of FSRI's enactment-SWCS released a new report analyzing what Congress and the Administration have done to date to implement the law.We found a combination of progress and missed opportunities. Most of the funding the law provided for conservation programs through fiscal year 2004 has been realized, and most of the basic conservation components of FSRI have been put in place. Rules for at least 10 programs and provisions have been promulgated, program guidance produced, training completed, and outreach to producers and partners undertaken. Conservation activity on the ground has accelerated.

An impressive vehicle to accelerate conservation has been built, and Congress has provided a lot of fuel. Now …