Congressman Van Hollen Applauds USDA Announcement of New Assistance for Chesapeake Bay Farmers

Press Release

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announcement naming the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as a Critical Conservation Area within the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program:

"Farmers in our community understand the importance of protecting the Chesapeake Bay and our agricultural lands so that they can support Maryland's economy for generations to come. Today's designation builds upon the work we began in 2008 to support farmers who voluntarily implement conservation measures to help restore the health of the Bay. As part of a Critical Conservation Area, farmers will have the opportunity to access funds to improve soil health and clean up the water."

BACKGROUND:

In 2008, Congressman Van Hollen worked with his colleagues in the Bay Watershed region to create the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI), the first investment of its kind in conservation assistance for Bay farmers. The 2014 Farm Bill builds upon that progress by combining CBWI with several other conservation programs into the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which will establish new public-private partnerships with flexible options to address water quality, soil erosion, and habitat restoration. Within that program, 35 percent of funds are reserved for eight Critical Conservation Areas with the most urgent water restoration needs. Today, the USDA has designated the Chesapeake Bay as one of those critical areas and put out the call for project proposals.

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