Protect Our Prairies Act reintroduced in the House

Last month, Representatives Noem (R-SD) and Walz (D-MN) introduced legislation to protect America’s remaining native grasslands through a national sodsaver provision. The Protect Our Prairies Act (HR 686), which has the support of nine bipartisan co-sponsors, is common-sense legislation that would reduce taxpayer-funded incentives to destroy vital grassland resources.

            In a statement that NWF released to the press about the bill, Aviva Glaser, Legislative Representative for Agriculture Policy at National Wildlife Federation, said: “America is at risk of losing one our most iconic ecosystems. Native prairies, along with the wildlife that are dependent upon them, are disappearing at an alarming rate. The Protect Our Prairies Act will help protect this vital resource by promoting management practices that conserve native grasslands…With this legislation we can protect vital habitat for declining wildlife and save taxpayer dollars while ensuring that some of the riskiest land for crop production is kept in grazing use. It is critical that the House Agriculture Committee include this national sodsaver provision in the 2013 Farm Bill.”

            Contact your representative and ask them to co-sponsor this important cost-saving and important habitat-saving legislation.