WASHINGTON - House Agriculture Subcommittee Chair Abigail Spanberger delivered the following statement at today's hearing “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Stakeholder Perspectives on Title II Conservation Programs."

[As prepared for delivery]

Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing. I am excited for today’s hearing emphasizing stakeholder perspectives on farm bill conservation programs. American farmers and producers have a long history of being among the best stewards of our land and promoting conservation practices as a way of protecting our environment for generations to come. Ensuring that they have the tools they need to best take care of the land, for today and for future generations, is critical to the policy decisions that we make in this committee. I hope that we can use today’s conversation as an opportunity to listen and learn from our producers and growers about what they need as we head into the drafting of the 2023 Farm Bill.

As a part of today’s hearing, we will hear how our conservation programs are currently working for producers, how investments in conservation programs are addressing our resource needs, and how these programs can be utilized to help address the climate crisis.

I am pleased that we are hearing from producers, conservation professionals, and advocates who understand today’s evolving challenges —  from water scarcity to increased input costs —  in raising everything from cattle to wheat. I appreciate that today’s witnesses have taken the time away from their important work to discuss in the current state of farm bill conservation programs — so that we can make informed policy decisions that will make the programs easier for producers to use to address their resource concerns while also providing environmental, social, and climate benefits.

I am eager to hear more from our witnesses.