Conservation Corner: January 1, 2001

Sportsman's Caucus Tours Mississippi Conservation Projects
by James L. Cummins

With the duck season in full swing, the thoughts of most waterfowlers are around a pair of greenheads cupped in front of a blind. Yet, recently, Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi, Co-chairman of the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus and Congressman Robin Hayes of North Carolina, the Co-Vice Chairman of the Caucus, met in Starkville with approximately 100 landowners and Mississippi's agricultural/conservation community. The event was sponsored by the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Bureau, Farm Service Agency, Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi Extension Service, Mississippi Poultry Association, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Quail Unlimited, Tyson, Wildlife Management Institute and Billy Devender/Claw Forestry.

These landowners and conservation groups, which I was proud to be one, were laying the groundwork for the next Farm Bill, primarily the conservation components. The Farm Bill is a vital part of federal legislation that will help ensure the future of wildlife and clean water.

The morning consisted of a panel discussion on agricultural and conservation issues. The discussion ranged from legislation on how to improve the Conservation (CRP) and Wetlands (WRP) reserve programs and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) for wildlife to ways on how to design conservation programs so they are more landowner friendly.

During the afternoon session, a field trip was taken to the farm of Eric Dibble to look at land that has been enrolled in WRP. Another field trip was taken to the farm of Jay Chancellor to look at WHIP and CRP before having dinner at Circle M Ranch.

According to Congressman Pickering, "It is extremely beneficial to see, first hand, the results of federal programs that impact Mississippians. Events such as this one allow members of Congress to obtain the knowledge to improve programs, which will be very important as we write the next Farm Bill." As the Congress adjourned for the year, the excitement about reauthorizing the conservation components of the Farm Bill was evident. The Congressional Sportsman's Caucus is the largest Caucus in Congress and through the leadership of these two gentlemen, conservation will be in good hands. Their efforts could result in the most significant things to come out of Washington to benefit fish, wildlife and waterfowl since the creation of the duck stamp program in 1934.

I and Wildlife Mississippi were proud to join Congressmen Pickering and Hayes for the benefit of both wildlife and people.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.