Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Thrilled About Congressional Movement Today Around New Farm Bill
House and Senate proposals would strengthen conservation and access initiatives for farmers, ranchers, hunters, and wildlife
Today, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are applauding action by Agriculture Committee leadership in both the U.S. Senate and the House to put forward their proposals for a 2024 Farm Bill, with Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) unveiling the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act and House Committee on Agriculture Chair Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-PA) releasing his committee’s Farm Bill overview.
While there is still much work to do, these proposals appear to support farmers, sportsmen and women, and rural communities by strengthening popular, voluntary conservation programs, increasing access to the great outdoors, and preserving working lands and wildlife habitat for future generations. Both Chairwoman Stabenow and Chairman Thompson’s bills would bring funding from the Inflation Reduction Act into the Farm Bill and provide a historic, permanent investment in voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are thankful to see some of the organization’s top priorities being addressed in Senator Stabenow’s Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. These include strengthening the Conservation Reserve Program by incorporating the provisions of the bipartisan, bicameral CRP Improvement Act, reauthorizing and funding the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) and including provisions to support nationwide conservation of America’s grasslands.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever also acknowledge the exemplary work of House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Thompson who today introduced his framework of the 2024 Farm Bill. The overview provided by the House committee also addresses some of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s top priorities, including improved CRP incentives for marginal lands, VPA-HIP funding, and more.
“It has never been a more challenging time to get big things done in Congress. We applaud Senator Stabenow and Representative Thompson for their leadership in moving this farm bill reauthorization forward and for working to develop a strong conservation title that supports farmers, ranchers, hunters, and rural America,” said Ariel Wiegard, vice president of government affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “We are thrilled about the momentum from both the Senate and House today and look forward to working with members in both chambers to get a 2024 Farm Bill across the finish line.”
For more information about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s top priorities in the Farm Bill or to learn more about today’s policy announcements, contact Ariel Wiegard at AWiegard@PheasantsForever.Org.
About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 420,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education, and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 26.5 million acres.
