The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on August 20 on Fair Share agriculture conservation funding at the Ag Progress Days farm show in Rock Springs near State College.

Scheduled to provide testimony are:

· Dr. Robert Steele, Dean, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences;

· Secretary Dennis Wolff, Department of Agriculture;

· Joel Rotz, PA Farm Bureau;

· Matthew Ehrhart, Chesapeake Bay Foundation;

· Brenda Shambaugh, PA Association of Conservation Districts;

· Grant Gulibon, PA Builders Association; and

· John Brosious, PA Municipal Authorities Association

A portion of the PA Fair Share Plan that provides funding to upgrade wastewater treatment plants was adopted as part of the budget in July, however, funding needed for farmers to meet the mandates and create tradable nutrient credits was not adopted. In fact, some Department of Agriculture programs were cut. Those elements include:

· $50 million in direct cost share aid to farmers to install conservation practices ($35 for REAP farm tax credits and $15 million in cost share grants);

· $10 million to county conservation district to expand technical assistance to farmers;

· $10 million to restore cuts to the Department of Agriculture budget in farm programs; and

· Proposed reforms to the state’s nutrient credit trading program that will help to make it a viable alternative to provide for both environmental improvements to the Bay and sufficient future sewage capacity for new development.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold a hearing September 17 on nutrient credit trading legislation.

Rep. Mike Hanna (D-Clinton) serves as Majority Chair and Rep. Art Hershey (R-Chester) serves as Minority Chair.

NewsClip: DEP Clean Energy Display Featured At Ag Progress Days

8/15/2008