Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
Senator Worked to Reauthorize & Fund Wetlands Banking Program
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced that the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded $875,000 to North Dakota Agricultural Mitigation (NDAM), Inc., a partnership between six North Dakota commodity groups that helps agriculture producers cover the costs of establishing wetland banks to meet federal conservation compliance requirements. In order to make this assistance available, Hoeven:
- Worked as a member of the 2018 Farm Bill conference committee to reauthorize NRCS’s Wetlands Mitigation Banking Program, under which today’s award was made.
- Secured $5 million per year for the program through annual appropriations legislation.
- Led the North Dakota delegation in urging NRCS to approve NDAM’s application.
“Our farmers and ranchers know their land and are in the best position to properly protect the quality of our soil and water,” said Senator Hoeven “That’s why we’ve worked to make this wetland banking program available. Under this award, NDAM will provide needed flexibility for producers’ operations and help ensure they can comply with federal mandates without having to fully shoulder the resulting burdensome costs.”
“Farmers and ranchers are already facing significant challenges this year, from rising input costs to drought, and federal regulations can make it harder to overcome these difficulties,” said NDAM President Joshua Stutrud. “We created this coalition to empower producers to make the best use of their land, while enhancing the quality of wetlands in our state. That’s a win for producers and the environment, and we appreciate Senator Hoeven’s hard work to make this option available to producers.”
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