For nearly 100 years, the Izaak Walton League has fought for clean air and water, healthy fish and wildlife habitat, and conserving special places for future generations. Today, the League plays a unique role in supporting citizens locally and shaping conservation policy nationally. We need your support to continue this work. Please consider a donation to the Izaak Walton League.
Today the House Agriculture Committee will take up the 2018 Farm Bill introduced by Committee Chair Mike Conaway at the end of last week. Farm Bill conservation programs are our nation’s largest source of funds to help farmers and ranchers be better stewards of the soil, waters, and wildlife. This bill is a mixed bag when it comes to IWLA water and wildlife conservation priorities.
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All across America, rivers, lakes, and wetlands suffer from the runoff of fertilizers, pesticides, and manure. And downstream communities have to deal with the pollution to provide safe, clean drinking water.
Baseline data on water quality helps us track changes in stream health over time. Essentially, you can’t know if water quality has changed – for better or worse – without a starting point.
Fishing line can cause major problems for wildlife if it is not disposed of correctly. (Monofilament fishing line in particular is made to last: it takes roughly 600 years to decompose!) Monofilament recycling stations are easy to build and provide a place for fisherman to throw away used fishing line.
Fishing is a great way to get kids (and adults) outdoors. Zebco’s Family Fishing Program provides discounted rods and reels to nonprofits that engage youth and families in fishing activities.
America’s fish and wildlife depend on America’s farms and ranches for critical habitat. The 2018 Farm Bill needs to ensure that farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to make a place for wildlife through wildlife-friendly practices and innovative farming and ranching systems.