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OFBF provided testimony to federal officials on numerous environmental issues during a listening session held in Columbus last month.

During the session, representatives from the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) solicited ideas on ways to promote conservation and enhance environmental partnerships.

Adam Sharp, OFBF director of national affairs, told the officials that conservation efforts must be better organized. He listed nearly two dozen acronyms of federal agencies and conservation programs in his testimony.

"It's an alphabet soup to land owners and farmers when it comes to government programs and improving the environment," he said.

He suggested that the government attempt to work with stakeholders to move conservation efforts into a system that is easy to understand, has clear environmental benefits and makes economic sense.

"Perhaps simplicity is a first step," he said.

Sharp also suggested that USDA appoint a liaison to advise the agency on environmental issues, pointing out that the U.S. EPA has an agricultural adviser position. Sharp also emphasized that the farm bill plays an important role in conservation efforts.

"The conservation title of the farm bill provides (an) enormous environmental benefit, and with little modification could provide many more opportunities for farmers to address environmental issues," he said.

OFBF Trustee Eric Wolfer spoke about the importance that the private sector plays in the development of pollution credit trading programs. The programs allow farmers to install conservation practices that reduce pollution and sell credits to entities such as cities.

"Essential to the success of these pilot programs is assuring a flexible environment that allows the industry to develop and discover what approaches are most effective," he said.

Wolfer said to develop this program, the private sector is identifying how pollutant reductions are tied to specific conservation practices. He said that the government could assist by validating these industry measurements.

"Cooperative conservation should include government collaboration with the private sector that protects this infant industry from the stress and rigor of inflexible rules," he said.

A focus on working lands is imperative to achieve an enthusiastic acceptance of conservation, said OFBF Trustee Kim Davis.

"Finding innovative and flexible approaches that embrace voluntary, in addition to mandatory practices, will allow us to not only meet our environmental goals and objectives but exceed them," she said.

Davis said there are opportunities to meet other agency needs such as Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act objectives using the same practices encouraged under USDA initiatives.

"A further incentive for landowners to adopt these conservation practices would be granting credits toward meeting the Clean Air and Water Act requirements rather than imposing burdensome regulations," she said.