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Re: North American Prairie Coalition: how do we organize?

Perhaps we could try to work with another conservation organization(s) that 
is already following and working on the conservation provisions of the Farm 
Bill.   The message we heard during the NAPC discussion (and that I've heard 
from others since) is that it will be challenging just to keep adequate 
conservation funding in the next Farm Bill, since there will be enormous 
political pressure to put more funding into other areas.   I would like to 
find out, from someone who knows a lot about Farm Bill conservation politics, 
what prairie-supporting provisions it would make most sense to work on.   We 
all have limited time and energy, so how can we most effectively use them?    
  
   
For example:

(1)  Is it realistic to work for the repeal of the provision that allows land 
to qualify for the CRP after just two years of rowcrops?  That provision 
creates an incentive to plow up prairies.   Or is that provision going to be 
almost impossible to change because it has strong political support?  

(2) Would it be effective to work for the creation and funding of a grassland 
easement program, to create an incentive to save prairies?   Apparently such 
an easement program has already been proposed.    Which groups are working on 
it, and what chance does it have of becoming a reality?

(3)  How hard will it be to repeal the federal requirement that woody species 
be planted on all CRP marginal riparian pastureland?   That requirement is 
destroying prairies too.   I haven't met anyone who likes that requirement, 
but clearly someone (unfortunately) thought it was a good idea, and it had 
support in the national political process.   How and why was it enacted?   
Which people/agencies/organizations would we need to contact and/or work with 
to get rid of it?   Would it be more effective for us to try to contact other 
conservation organizations and get their support for repealing it, and work 
with them, instead of (or as well as) making individual contacts?  Since 
repealing that requirement wouldn't seem to cost money, is trying to do that 
more attainable than some other prairie-saving Farm Bill goals? 

(4)  What other Farm Bill provisions would most help prairies and also be 
most achievable?

I don't have time to find out answers myself.   I'd like to get information 
(for all of us) from someone who is already familiar with Farm Bill language 
and politics and also is concerned about prairies and conservation.   Is 
there a way to do that?  

Cindy Hildebrand
Ames, IA  50010

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