Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik led four bipartisan members of New York’s Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) requesting that they allow farmers to mechanically harvest their cover crops and meet the NRCS standards.
USDA recently published a standard that would no longer allow cover crops to be mechanically harvested. Cover crops are utilized by farmers to help mitigate emissions, control soil erosion, improve water quality, and as a feed source for their animals.
“Farmers in the North Country have been responsible stewards of the land for generations, and they are experts at implementing conservation practices. The USDA’s decision to modify this standard is another example of unnecessary government overreach and poses a significant challenge to farmers across the country. I am proud to lead my colleagues in standing up for our farmers and ensure they have the freedom to make decisions to protect the viability of their land and businesses.”
Read the full letter here.
