Because farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners control over half of the U.S. landscape, they have a significant impact on our air and water quality and wildlife habitat. Unfortunately, traditional farm subsidies, which soak up over half of all farm spending, encourage overproduction on environmentally sensitive lands. And roughly two out of three landowners who want to enlist in voluntary conservation programs are turned away because of insufficient program funds.

The farm bill is the largest source of conservation funding in America, and its re-authorization every five years gives Congress a chance to reform U.S. farm policy in ways that enhance our environment. During consideration of the 2007 farm bill, Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) offered an amendment to make the farm subsidy system more equitable and to boost conservation funding by $1.2 billion. On December 11, 2007, the amendment failed by a 37-58 vote (Senate roll call vote 417). YES IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE.