U.S. Senate Passes 2014 Farm Bill

by
posted on February 5, 2014
ahwire_ah2015_fs.jpg (3)

The U.S. Senate voted 68-32 on Feb. 4 to pass the 2014 Farm Bill, which will decide the fate of nearly $1 trillion and how it will be distributed between agriculture, conservation and food aid programs over the next five years. The bipartisan bill will cut $23 billion from various nutritional and agricultural programs to reduce the national deficit, and is now awaiting a signature from the president.

Conservation groups throughout the industry have shown their support for the bill's benefits to America's wildlife habitats. Conservation programs are set to receive $56 million, according to The Washington Post.

“This is a big win for conservation and for working farmers and ranchers,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall. ”The conservation programs authorized and funded through the farm bill are the backbone of Ducks Unlimited conservation work on private lands, and they have just been strengthened by the inclusion of our top priorities.”

“Members of the Boone and Crockett Club have been working on the Farm Bill for over two years,” said club president William Dremmer. “We are pleased the bill reduces federal expenditures. It targets conservation to key forest, grassland, wetland and other wildlife habitats.”

From a sportsman's perspective, the most effective conservation provisions of the Farm Bill are the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). These provisions directly impact wildlife habitat, and therefore healthy upland game birds, waterfowl and big game populations.

“We are going to be celebrating this bill," said Steve Kline, director of government relations for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “It is the best we can get."

Latest

MAIN Meat Cooking
MAIN Meat Cooking

Slow Cooker Honey & Garlic Venison and Bear Loins

Looking for a way to introduce a new audience to bear meat? Check out this recipe, from contributor Brad Fenson, for an easy way to do it.

Re-evaluating the 20-Gauge

Thanks to technological advancements in ammunition, the 20-gauge is now nearly as capable as a 12-gauge. It wasn’t always that way, however, nor was it always viewed in a positive light.

Opening Day Turkey Hunting Tactics

Hunters who don’t map out a plan of action beyond when to wake up risk getting skunked. Here’s insight into the mind of turkeys to help you pick the right spots to set up, and when to move and call to outfox toms from sunup to sundown.

8 Great New Hunting Rifles for 2023

Here’s a closer look at some of the most exciting hunting rifles introduced this year.

Recipe: Oven Barbecue Venison Steak

Contributor Brad Fenson gives his audience a recipe that will help keep a venison steak nice and moist in the oven.

Behind the Bullet: .370 Sako Magnum

In 2003, Finnish firearms manufacturer Sako released its own variant of the 9.3mm rimless cartridge: the 9.3x66mm Sako, or as it is known in the U.S., the .370 Sako Magnum. It delivers performance on par with the beloved .375 H&H in a package which can hold one additional round in the magazine in a lighter rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.