(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—House members and senators from the Chesapeake Bay region yesterday reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help accelerate farmers’ progress reducing agricultural runoff into the Bay and its rivers and streams.
Titled the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act, the bill was introduced in the House by Chesapeake Bay Task Force Co-chairs Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.) and Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-Va.).
It was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt-Rochester, John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and John Warner (D-Va.).
The Chesapeake Bay Conservation and Acceleration Act proposes five changes to make in the next Farm Bill to support Bay region farmers who adopt voluntary conservation practices, like planting streamside forested buffers, that lead to cleaner rivers and streams.
The Farm Bill was last reauthorized in 2018 and initially set to expire September 30, 2023. It has been extended twice, most recently until September 30, 2025. The Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act was first introduced during the last Congress, in July 2023.
The bill would:
- Incorporate the Chesapeake Bay States’ Partnership Initiative, known as “C-SPI,” into the Farm Bill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created C-SPI in May 2022 to steer an extra $22.5 million in conservation assistance to Bay region farmers that year.
- Make it easier for states to increase incentives for farmers to participate in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). CREP is a USDA cost-share program that provides funding and technical assistance to farmers who implement high-priority conservation practices.
- Create a “turnkey” program, operated by a third party, to cover the up-front costs of designing, installing, and maintaining forested buffers for interested landowners. These buffers of trees along rivers and streams are among the most cost-effective ways to reduce agricultural runoff into nearby waterways.
- Expand the number of people trained to provide technical assistance to farmers. Even before the staffing turmoil at USDA, including in field offices that directly serve farmers, the department faced a shortage of trained personnel to help farmers make their conservation work successful.
- Reduce bureaucratic barriers to creating a commercial blue catfish fishery. The proposal would transfer responsibility for inspecting wild-caught blue catfish from USDA to the Food and Drug Administration. Blue catfish are a voracious, fast-growing invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay that prey on native species such as blue crabs, striped bass, and menhaden.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement:
“Farmers are essential to restoring the Bay and its waterways. The Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act would encourage more farmers to adopt conservation practices that reduce fertilizer and sediment runoff, the largest source of water pollution to the Bay.
“The bill would also enable more watermen to improve their bottom line by harvesting invasive blue catfish. This would help protect native Bay species and the seafood industry from this voracious predator while supporting the region’s economy.
“With the staffing turmoil at USDA, the proposals for increasing the number of trained professionals on the ground helping farmers improve water and soil quality are more important than ever.
“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation thanks Reps. Wittman, Scott, Elfreth, and Kiggans and Sens. Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Fetterman, Kaine, and Warner for reintroducing this bipartisan legislation. We urge Congress to quickly pass a new, more Bay-friendly Farm Bill that includes the smart policy changes outlined in this bill.”
Washington, D.C. Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF
[email protected]
202-793-4485
