Working Trees for the 2002 Farm Bill

Authors

Date of this Version

August 2004

Comments

Published by USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC), East Campus – UNL, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822. Website http://www.unl.edu/nac

Abstract

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) has been hailed as the single most significant commitment toward conservation on private lands in the Nation's history. Landowners can benefit from a portfolio of voluntary services. The conservation provisions can assist farmers and ranchers in meeting environmental and production challenges on their land. This legislation modifies existing programs and creates some new programs. The 2002 Farm Bill provides many opportunitiesy to enhance the long-term quality of our environment and the conservation of our natural resources.

Agroforestry has come a long way in the United States in the last 20 years and the 2002 Farm Bill provides an increased level of recognition of and support for agroforestry. A greater number of conservation programs, both public and private, now include cost sharing, incentive and maintenance payments, and rental rates for agroforestry practices. The financial success of most agroforestry practices does not depend on cost share programs. However, some agroforestry practices provide conservation benefits that extend far beyond the property line. Many Farm Bill programs provide economic incentives for this kind of good stewardship.

Although there are more funding programs than described in this flyer, those listed represent federal sources with the greatest application to agroforestry.