Collin Peterson: “I am proud to stand today to offer this amendment with the gentleman from New York and the gentleman from Nebraska. On…”

“I am proud to stand today to offer this amendment with the gentleman from New York and the gentleman from Nebraska. On behalf of the Sportsmen's Caucus, which has made the Conservation Reserve Program the main focus of this Congress, we are very pleased with the language that is in this amendment. This is a straight, clean, reauthorization of the Conservation Reservation Program, which is what we have been working for, for the last couple of years. I think the earlyout provision that has been negotiated with the gentleman from Nebraska and others is a good provision which is actually, in my judgment, going to benefit wildlife, because frankly, the first 5 years of these contracts are when they do the best job in providing habitat for wildlife. It might be a good thing to allow these to turn over after 5 years so we can take some of this mature cover and turn it into new cover, which is the best for wildlife. So, Mr. Chairman, I think we have got a very good compromise put together here. It is going to be good for wildlife, farmers, conservationists, and environmentalists. I am glad to support this.”