The vote is on the Armstrong (R-CO) amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations bill (H.R. 7072) to stop payment of price supports, farm loans, crop insurance and other federal farm benefits to farmers who cultivate highly erodible land, as determined by the Soil Conservation Service. America is losing 5 billion tons of topsoil a year, more than we did during the dustbowl. A General Accounting Office survey found that 84% of farmers were losing more than 5 tons per acre and were hurting long range productivity. Many have abandoned traditional soil conservation practices. The plowing of fragile lands in the West can also hurt adjacent unplowed lands because of dust and wind erosion. It is silly for the government to promote soil conservation on the one hand, and erosion on the other. Given the size of farm surpluses, we do not need to subsidize farming on fragile land. Amendment adopted 69-29; September 28, 1982. YES is the pro-environmental vote. The Armstrong amendment was dropped in the House-Senate conference, and not included in the final bill which passed Congress.