§3472 Conservation Tillage; Congressional Findings, Etc.

Summary

Congress says demand for U.S. farm products will rise a lot over the next 20 years, but losing five billion tons of soil a year to wind and water cuts our ability to meet that demand. Even though the federal government spends millions of dollars each year on research, help, and incentives, erosion keeps happening. Conservation tillage can cut erosion by 50 to 90 percent and may give better yields, more flexible land use, lower fuel and labor costs, more soil moisture, and work on many soils and slopes. Congress urges the Secretary of Agriculture to tell farmers about the costs and benefits of conservation tillage and to run research to answer remaining questions about how it compares with other soil conservation methods.