WASHINGTON, DC, September 6--After nearly two months of contention between the White House Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an agreement has been reached to release funds to implement the federal Wetlands Reserve Program and the Farmland Protection Program (FPP). Details of this agreement are expected from the USDA today. Differences between the White House and USDA about how the programs were to be implemented and where funding would come from had been delaying release of the funds.
An agreement was finally reached thanks to pressure from Ducks Unlimited and other program supporters across the country, who recognize the value of these extremely popular programs to wildlife and to farmers. This year alone, WRP will provide incentives for landowners to convert 250,000 acres of agricultural land to wildlife habitat nationwide. This is in addition to the 1,075,000 acres enrolled in WRP since its inception.
"WRP is an important program for agricultural producers, for wildlife, and for national water quality," said David Gagner of Ducks Unlimited. "And Ducks Unlimited looks forward to continuing our partnership with farmers, ranchers, and the USDA across the country to continue implementing this critical program."