WASHINGTON D.C. —  A strong majority of crop farmers in the United States, by a more than four-to-one margin, want Congress to strengthen funding for voluntary conservation programs in the 2023 Farm Bill. The polling found that 74 percent of farmers support increasing voluntary USDA conservation program funding; 16 percent oppose increasing funding.

“Farmers know better than anyone how conservation practices not only are good for their farms, but also for protecting clean water, healthy soils, and thriving lands,” said Julie Sibbing, associate vice president for land stewardship at the National Wildlife Federation. “Congress should stand with the majority of farmers in protecting and building off of existing investments in voluntary Farm Bill conservation programs, including the additional funding for USDA conservation programs provided by the last Congress.”

The polling, done in partnership with Morning Consult, surveyed 300 farmers whose crop is either corn, soybeans or oilseeds, wheat, rice, cotton/fiber, or specialty crops such as vegetables, fruits, horticulture, and wine grapes. The poll, conducted March 16-21, has a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percentage points.