Agricultural Practices, Farm Policy, and the Conservation of Biological Diversity.
Abstract
Long-term wildlife population declines are associated with changing agricultural practices. Cropland expansion, agricultural intensification, and national farm policies are all implicated in these declines. Social, economic, technological, and political factors determine where, what, and how a farmer produces crops and therefore his or her effect on wildlife habitat. Farmers are also influenced by Department of Agriculture programs, which therefore are indirectly implicated in wildlife population declines. Changes in the prairie and Great Plains agricultural landscape since the 1950's provide a clear example of the relation between federal agriculture policy, farmers' land-use practices, and the decline of grassland bird species. Early research indicates that the Conservation Reserve Program may help to slow or reverse wildlife losses, including those of several species listed as endangered. However, Conservation Reserve Program benefits to wildlife populations may vary considerably across the United States. Wildlife conservation in the agricultural landscape is limited by conflicting conservation objectives, the voluntary nature of federal agriculture programs, and the habitat requirements of many endangered vertebrate species. Biological conservation should be an explicit objective of agricultural conservation policy. The full potential of wildlife conservation within the context of farm conservation policy will require extensive collaboration between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel and will only be realized if conservation policies are uncoupled from policies attempting to control agricultural commodities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA322568
Entities
People
- Philip W. Gerard