WHIP Now Allows for Long-Term Agreements to Protect Plant and Animal Habitats

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
Now Allows for Long-Term Agreements to Protect and Restore Plant and Animal Habitats

coding: blue text denotes language that will address issues of concern to producers in ALL areas of the U.S., especially states outside the plains and grain belt that are dominated by specialty crops, ranches and agricultural operations other than those dedicated to commodity crops. Text in bold face will meet several specific needs of Florida producers.

SEC. 2502. GRAZING, WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE, SOURCE WATER PROTECTION, AND GREAT LAKES BASIN PROGRAMS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

"CHAPTER 5—OTHER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

"SEC. 1240N. WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

"(a) IN GENERAL—The Secretary, in consultation with the State technical committees established under section 1261, shall establish within the Natural Resources Conservation Service a program to be known as the wildlife habitat incentive program (referred to in this section as the ‘program*).

"(b) COST-SHARE PAYMENTS.—

"(1) IN GENERAL—Under the program, the Secretary shall make cost-share payments to landowners to develop—

"(A) upland wildlife habitat;

"(B) wetland wildlife habitat;

"(C) habitat for threatened and endangered species;

"(D) fish habitat; and

"(E) other types of wildlife habitat approved by the Secretary.

"(2) INCREASED COST SHARE FOR LONG-TERM AGREEMENTS.—

"(A) IN GENERAL.—In a case in which the Secretary enters into an agreement or contract to protect and restore plant and animal habitat that has a term of at least 15 years, the Secretary may provide cost-share payments in addition to amounts provided under paragraph (1).

"(B) FUNDING LIMITATION.—The Secretary may use, for a fiscal year, not more than 15 percent of funds made available under section 1241(a)(7) for the fiscal year to carry out contracts and agreements described in subparagraph (A).

"(c) REGIONAL EQUITY.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that regional issues of concern relating to wildlife habitat are addressed in an appropriate manner.

Opening "flash" page,
Stewardship America logo & banner designed by The MousePad

Other pages designed & maintained by Stewardship America
Copyright Ó 2004 by Stewardship America, Inc. || All rights reserved.