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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The 2014 Federal Farm Bill boasted a strong
3Conservation Title, and the Farm Bill is up for reauthorization
4in 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Provisions from the 2014 Farm Bill have helped
6support programs improving soil, water, fish, and wildlife
7conservation on farms, ranches, forests, and private lands
8through the United States; and
 
9    WHEREAS, These programs include the Conservation Reserve
10Program (CRP), the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
11(ACEP), and the voluntary public access and habitat incentive
12program (VPA-HIC), which have all been key to managing and
13increasing the natural resources of the United States; and
 
14    WHEREAS, 2014 Farm Bill provisions have specifically
15benefitted Illinois; in 2017, a total of 895,410 acres,
16representing 43,802 farms in Illinois, were enrolled in CRP,
17with an investment of over $161 million; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In 2016, Illinois landowners held over $4 million
19in ACEP agreements; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Eight Regional Conservation Partnership Programs

 

 

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1(RCPPs) invested nearly $27 million in the State from 2014 to
22017, leading to wildlife habitat conservation, improved
3pollinator habitats, and increased forest health; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Natural Resources
5received over $2.2 million in VPA-HIP grants in 2014 and 2015,
6which it used to expand urban youth opportunities and increase
7public access to areas for hunting, fishing, and outdoor
8recreation throughout the State; this in turn helps protect the
9hunting heritage of Illinois; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Illinois depends on the Farm Bill Conservation
11Title to help provide clean water, healthy soils, abundant
12wildlife and wildlife habitats, flood control, and outdoor
13recreation opportunities; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16urge the U.S. Congress to include a strong Conservation Title
17in the 2018 Farm Bill, and ask the Illinois Congressional
18Delegation to pay special attention to this matter; and be it
19further
 
20    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
21delivered to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Majority
22Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck

 

 

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1Schumer, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, U.S. House of
2Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and all members
3of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.