Farm bill must balance land needs, Harkin says

A federal conservation program that pays farmers to leave cropland idle drew bipartisan support Saturday in Des Moines from two congressional leaders who will help form agriculture policy.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairmen of the Senate and House agriculture committees, said critics who want to cut back the Conservation Reserve Program will have a fight on their hands.

The CRP was first included in the 1985 farm bill. It pays landowners about $1.8 billion a year to take land out of production in favor of grass, trees or other soil-conserving practices.

There are 36.7 million acres in the CRP, an area slightly larger than the state of Iowa.

Critics say the program should be cut back so more land can be used to grow corn for ethanol production. They also say it hurts young farmers because it removes land from the rental market and cuts income for farm supply businesses.

Harkin and Peterson voiced support for the program at a forum held in conjunction with Pheasant Fest, a gathering of hunters at the Iowa Events Center, sponsored by the advocacy group Pheasants Forever.

Saturday's forum was the first joint appearance for Harkin and Peterson since Democrats won control of both houses of Congress and took over the chairmanships of congressional committees. They arguably will have the most to say about what goes into the 2007 farm bill, which will replace the law that expires in September.

Larry Conmey, 67, a retired farmer and pheasant hunter from Anamosa, said Saturday he was glad to hear support for the program.

"I'm really worried about losing habitat because of this spike in corn prices," Conmey said. "It could be a disaster for Iowa."

Conmey has 200 acres enrolled in the CRP.

"I could take it out of the program and get $30 more an acre for it in rent," he said. "But I enjoy promoting the wildlife, conserving the soil and cleaning the water."

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., a member of the House agriculture committee, told those at the forum that "there might have to be some adjustments made, but I'm really sold on the CRP. It's been a good deal."

Harkin said the next farm bill must strike a balance between growing crops for renewable fuels and soil conservation, water quality and wildlife habitat.

"We can provide the energy we need and do it in a more conserving manner," he said.

The next farm bill should devise a way to pay farmers to grow more "biomass" or "cellulosic" crops such as switchgrass that will be used to produce more ethanol, Harkin said.

The technology to make ethanol out of cellulose isn't ready for the market yet, but experts think it will be within five to 10 years.

The biggest challenge will be finding the money to pay for farm programs, he said.

Farm Editor Jerry Perkins can be reached at (515) 284-8456 or jperkins@dmreg.com