AGRICULTURE
|
Question: Would you support removing the $3.77 billion funding gap
for the Conservation Security Program, which subsidizes farmers
who employ certain environmentally sound agricultural practices?
Related
story: Kucinich
Dissents on Farm Program Funding |
George
W. Bush (R): |
A statement on the Conservation
Security program could not be obtained from the Bush staff. |
| Wesley
Clark (D): |
A statement on the Conservation Security
program could not be obtained from the Clark staff. |
| Howard
Dean (D): |
"The
CSP is one of the centerpieces of the Dean farm plan. Despite
the creation of the program
in the
2002 farm bill, the programs have still not been implemented
by this administration. It and its allies have tried to block
all funding for the program.
"The CSP is a really good program that rewards family farmers
for being strong environmental stewards instead of simply handing
out subsidies to large corporate
farms for mass production that harms the environment and forces family farmers
out of business. Dean does support lifting the cap. The CSP is a way to help
support family farmers who need the support while also protecting our environment
and benefiting all Americans." (Andrew Baumann, Dean for America
campaign issue spokesperson, 11/10/03) |
| John
Edwards (D): |
"John
Edwards supports removing a $3.77 billion funding cap for
the CSP. As an advocate of environmental rights, Sen. Edwards
thinks it
is important to reward farmers who are using safe agricultural practices." (Kim
Rubey, Edwards’ Iowa press secretary, 11/12/03) |
| Dick
Gephardt (D): |
Gephardt
has opposed allowing federal conservation funds to be used
to create polluting manure lagoons that damage communities'
air and water.
Gephardt is a strong supporter of the Conservation Reserve Program to remove
marginal land from production, reduce erosion, and protects the quality of our
streams and rivers. (From www.dickgephardt2004.com) |
| John
Kerry (D): |
"John
Kerry supports removing the $3.77 billion funding cap for
the CSP. He was a co-sponsor of the CSP in 2001 when Iowa
Sen. Tom Harkin
proposed the legislation in the Senate and has worked with Mr. Harkin to continue
support for this program." (Laura Capps, Kerry’s Iowa press
secretary, 11/12/03) |
| Dennis
Kucinich (D): |
"The
CSP doesn't promote a greater environmental consciousness
when the benefits go to large agribuisnesses. I'm for a family-oriented agricultural
program." (At a Daily Iowan editorial board meeting, 11/14/03) |
| Joe Lieberman (D): |
"Joe
Lieberman is a strong supporter of expanding the Conservation
Reserve Program, which gives farmers incentives to take land out of production
and put it toward conservation. Lieberman helped draft conservation provisions
in the 1996 Farm Bill and supported the 2002 Farm Bill, which increased conservation
funding by 80 percent." (From www.joe2004.com) |
| Carol
Moseley Braun (D): |
“I
will be an advocate for our stewardship of the planet. We
will not accept a backward-looking energy
policy.” (From speech
to party members at the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento,
CA, 3/16/03)
|
| Al
Sharpton (D): |
“Yes,
strengthening and enforcing our environmental laws would
be one of my top
priorities. For me, the scriptural mandate that the earth
is
the Lord's and the fullness thereof is a religious and spiritual mandate to be
good stewards of what God has given the human race for sustenance, beauty and
enjoyment. Protecting, preserving and sustaining it must be one of our highest
priorities. (Quoted on MoveOn.org, 6/12/03) |
