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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retired Educator" data-source="post: 219718" data-attributes="member: 3373">I'm no expert but if I remember correctly, the CRP program was designed as a way to take marginal land out of production to lessen the supply of some grains. That would then, theoretically, increase the price of wheat (using ND as an example). Increasing the price of wheat would then lessen the need for price support by the federal government. I don't think CRP was ever intended to provide hay, cover for wildlife, etc. But, surprise, surprise, CRP turned out to be ideal habitat for wildlife. Plus the cash flow of CRP was pretty good, many times paying more than what a farmer could get for cash-rent.. For a few farmers it provided a pretty good retirement. 60 years old, crop prices are low, government will pay me more to plant grass than I can get by renting it out to another farmer. Hell of a good retirement if it worked for some of them.Then we get some dry years and cattlemen see all that grass just growing, doing nothing other than providing some cover for wildlife. why can't we use it for hay? Then when the contracts are expiring some commodity prices are much higher so it makes more sense to plant a crop than grass. Pheasant population as well as deer drops and it's the farmers fault. All the farmer did from the beginning was try to make a profit, just like all businessmen.Perhaps if the federal government worked on just a farm bill that dealt with farm issues we would get more done. Too often, what starts out as something worthwhile ends up with so many riders attached no one can even identify the original purpose of the bill.Too many conservation groups start as a member driven organization, funded by member dues. Then they started going after government dollars. Case in point for me - DU, I was a member of DU for many years. Then they decided to have a initiated measure in ND to use some oil tax dollars. Widely defeated as it should have been in my mind. Since that time, I, a long time former member, have not received one call, letter, or any form or contact asking me as a member to support their programs. - That doesn't bother me but what happened to DU's original fundraising being member driven?Now I've begun to ramble but the point is, let's keep in mind why we support conservations groups. For me it's not to collect more of my tax dollars.</blockquote>

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