February 15, 2011
Delta Waterfowl Warns of Cuts To Duck-Friendly Programs
Attention waterfowlers: A proposal by the U.S. House of Representatives would dramatically cut funding to time-tested conservation programs important to the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting, according to Delta Waterfowl Senior Vice President John Devney.
“We’re talking serious cuts or zeroing out entire initiatives that have conserved waterfowl habitat for many years,” he said. “The proposal, as it currently stands, will effectively take the duck out of the Duck Factory. That’s bad for hunters, farmland conservation and the future of our heritage.”
Devney says the proposal would defund North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants, currently funded at about $47 million, and would axe by 81 percent funding for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service land acquisitions in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR).
“State wildlife grants, which is vitally important for wildlife habitat and hunting access, would also be defunded, from $90 million to zero,” said Devney.
In addition, Devney says future funding for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) could be jeopardy. “Even with a new general CRP signup slated to begin March 14, the massive U.S. budget deficit could put the all-important program for ducks and other wildlife in the crosshairs of Congress for cuts,” he said.
Devney says waterfowl hunters need to contact their federal lawmakers today and tell them to protect these vitally important duck-producing programs.
Related Links: Video: Conservation Reserve Program | Tori's Blog: CRP Signup | Grass: Going, Going, Gone?
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