Landowner Assitance Programs

The 2002 Farm Bill

Every six years Congress passes comprehensive legislation to reauthorize and establish policies related to agriculture, forestry, commodities and rural lands and economics. Billions of dollars go into the conservation and commodity programs that are authorized under the Farm Bill. The most recent Farm Bill was passed in early May 2002.

In June 2001, SELC called for dramatically increased forest landowner assistance funding along with other recommendations in testimony before the House Agriculture Forestry Sbucommittee.

In the 2002 Farm Bill, Congress allocated over $120 billion to be spent before the legislation expires in 2007. In the previous Farm Bill (1996), the Conservation Title received 30 percent of all farm bill funding. In 2002, this funding dropped to 22 percent.

SELC's priority during the congressional debate on the Farm Bill was to increase funding for forest conservation.

Back