Commending Environmental Work of House Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, from our Nation's farmers to our foresters, anglers, hunters, and those who love the outdoors, good land management and conservation practices hold endless benefits.

To support this stewardship, the 2014 farm bill provides substantial opportunities for agricultural conservation. This includes initiatives such as the Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and Conservation Stewardship Program, just to name a few.

These voluntary programs are essential in assisting landowners to implement best management practices while also improving water quality and the surrounding watersheds.

The farm bill and the committee have also worked to promote well- managed forests. Our Nation's forests, of course, are economic engines in many rural areas while providing resources for our Nation. Additionally, our forests also deliver significant ecological benefits because they are natural water filters, as well as our most important carbon sinks.

With Earth Day last Friday, I think it is timely to recognize all the great conservation work going on in our communities and in our committee, and the importance of managed land and water. With that in mind, it remains essential that we continue active stewardship of our forests, farmlands, soils, and watersheds.

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