REISTERSTOWN, Md. — Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer celebrated Earth Day last Tuesday in a planet-friendly and farmer pleasing way — he gave away $2.6 million to preserve farmland in Maryland through the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).

Announcing the award at an Earth Day event sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) at the Glenn Elseroad family farm, Schafer said, “This land will be protected by conservation easements and will be available for agricultural use forever.”

Third-generation farmer Elseroad spoke eloquently about what the land meant to him: “I love this farm.” His grandson, in attendance will be the fifth generation to farm it, he said. Elseroad, 62, remembered his uncles plowing with horses and the purchase of the first family tractor. Originally the farm was a dairy, then Elseroad raised beef cattle and now the land is leased for grain crops and string beans.

“We feed the world on this land,” said Elseroad noting how within his generation farms have expanded from feeding just one’s own family and neighbors to feeding the planet.

Elseroad proudly noted his efforts in agroforestry. Former pastureland is now 25 acres of trees, and he has plans to increase those woodlands to 10,000 trees. The forests help with erosion, he said, which in turn increases his yields. This funding will keep that land protected for future generations.

Baltimore County executive, Jim Smith was on hand to receive a check for $1.6 million for Baltimore County. Two-thirds of the county is rural and the county is ranked seventh in the nation for its land conservation.

Smith took the Earth Day opportunity to announce the creation of a new “Office of Sustainability” in Baltimore County. The office will work on issues of energy conservation within government services and also work directly with ag groups. “We take land preservation seriously here,” Smith grinned, visibly elated with his enormous check.

Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Roger Richardson said “Every day is Earth Day for a farmer.” The pressures of development are ever present and the best defense “is to make agricultural profitable.” The awarded funds will go toward Maryland’s goal of preserving 500,000 acres of farmland.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer took the podium last and thanked participants. “What I admire most about Maryland is your leadership in ag conservation programs.” The United States, he said, is blessed with so many natural resources and farmers “are the best guardians” of those resources.

Farm Bill Frustration
Schafer noted the work of the Bush administration on the recent Farm Bill to increase conservation funding 10-fold from the previous Farm Bill to $10 billion.

USDA-NRCS has made $50.2 million available for Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program nationwide thus far this fiscal year, a portion of the program’s national allotment. Future funding is contingent upon the outcome of debate on the new Farm Bill. FRPP’s authority expires with the 2002 Farm Bill.

Schafer, interviewed later and asked if he thought this funding would come to pass, given that in the latest round of negotiations it has been scrapped for an ag disaster insurance program, the Ag Secretary replied that conservation money would be secure “if we get a new Farm Bill.”

“The House and Senate don’t appear to be able to get their work done,” Schafer said.

Schafer predicted that the reform measures in this latest Farm Bill will probably not come to pass until there is a change in administration. At this point an extension of the current Farm Bill looks likely. “We’re already into the ‘08 crop.” The bill, Schafer said, would have to extend into 2009, which means a two-year extension, which means a new administration.

Schafer, a noted critic of the current subsidy system, also expressed his desire for a leaner Farm Bill. Whether any of this needed reform and conservation funding will happen on his watch remains to be seen. Schafer appeared frustrated.

“Farmers need the stability now.”

Addressing the need for more conservation spending as he spoke to Earth Day celebrants, Schafer ended with this quote.

“We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors — We borrow it from our children.”