Excerpt
American agriculture delivers an abundant, affordable, safe and nutritious food supply to markets around the world. A strong agricultural infrastructure with conservation at its core, including research, information, monitoring, and promotion provide the basic services needed for the economic growth and efficient functioning of the food and fiber markets.
These concepts are among many areas covered in a document issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year titled “Food and Agricultural Policy: Taking Stock for the New Century.” The document clearly shows that the future of conservation is an important issue for the future. Its emphasis on conservation recognizes that natural resources are extremely valuable and worth protecting and that all of society enjoys the benefits of properly functioning ecosystems—that everyone has a stake in conservation.
Fortunately, conservation is receiving increased attention throughout rural America. Our conservation policy has evolved from an early focus on keeping productive topsoil in place. Reducing soil erosion was an overriding concern, and became a primary accomplishment. We now realize that the off-farm effects of farming include a wide variety of environmental impacts. Thus, conservation policy has evolved to incorporate broader measures such as water and air quality and …
Footnotes
Ann M. Veneman, Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Copyright 2002 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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