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Conservation isn’t complicated

The CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts says climate change is this generation’s Dust Bowl. Jeremy Peters tells Brownfield the solution isn’t complicated and starts at the local level.

“At our core, we’re talking about soil and water conservation practices some of which have been around for decades, they’re familiar. Farmers have used them and like them,” says Peters. “What we’re talking about really is broad scale adoption, making sure any farmer who wants to participate in these programs has the opportunity to do that.”

Peters says continued investments in farm bill conservation programs are needed. Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act allows more farmers to take advantage of high demand programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, an entry-level conservation planning program.

“That process gets underway through good conservation planning, assessing the resources, evaluating the options and determining the program opportunities landowners need to make improvements and be successful.”

Peters says conservation programs will be an important part of the farm bill debate.