Senator Bennet’s Proposed Small Farm Conservation Act

The Small Farm Conservation Act would:

• Create a subprogram within EQIP tailored to support small farms and ranches;

• Establish a National subprogram Coordinator and one in each State;

• Streamline the application and approval processes for small farmers and ranches;

• Create a bonus payment for farms under 50 acres employing soil health practices;

• Allow small farms to enroll on a continuous basis instead of waiting for the annual ranking period; and

• Require the Natural Resources Conservation Service to train field staff on conservation tailored for small-scale agriculture and to conduct outreach to small-scale farmers and ranchers.

"Helping family farms put more conservation-minded practices in place can make a real difference in land health, watershed resilience, and farm productivity. Our farms and food systems are at risk from climate change, but they can also be tremendous assets in addressing it. Directing more support to small family farms can be a real boost for Colorado agriculture and an important investment in its sustainable future," said Pete Kolbenschlag, Director, Colorado Farm & Food Alliance.

Read more about it here.