Last week Senate Appropriators cut $303 million of mandatory spending from the Environmental Quality Incentives program. That’s disappointing to Center for Rural Affairs officials. The Center’s Traci Bruckner says that’s a large cut for a major conservation program and it never should have occurred.

She says it’s not the first time conservation has been targeted for cuts. Her group will work with the state’s Congressional delegation to try and restore the cuts to EQIP and other conservation programs.

Bruckner says conservation programs are an important option for producers dealing with unpredictable market conditions and weather.

Besides the Center for Rural Affairs, the National Farmers Union is calling on federal lawmakers to fully fund conservation and EQIP programs.