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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp and USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie attended a roundtable discussion in Valley City to gather input from farming leaders and farmers.

A number of area farmers talked about their concern over the conservation compliance requirements in the 2014 Farm Bill and how it could negatively impact their farming operation.

Some North Dakota producers face challenges to meet those requirements. Heitkamp came to hear the concerns of farmers and to see how to make the implementation of the new rules the least burdensome.

USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie addresses the issue in Valley City. Photo by Steve Urness.
USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie talks about  the compliance issue in Valley City.

Heitkamp says North Dakota farmers have faced serious challenges complying with existing conservation requirements related to wetlands, which prevent farmers from moving water on their farmland without prior approval from USDA.

Barnes County farmer Mark Forno questioned why the agricultural community wasn’t involved in helping set up these USDA compliance rules or guidelines that affect so many farmers.

Another Barnes County resident Arvid Winkler says, “Some states like Iowa, Illinois and Indiana have been eliminating wetlands for years, but now they have this prior conversion system so they now have no current limitations but the water is running off. If we have to create a holding pond to filter out the water maybe that’s the way to go.”

L to R North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp and USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie. Photos by Steve Urness.
L to R North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp and USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie.

Heitkamp says North Dakota farmers have dealt with uncertainty regarding what constitutes a wetland under the conservation compliance policy in wet seasons where water temporarily pools on a farm. This uncertainty makes it difficult for farmers to manage water that accumulates during wet seasons. If a farmer drains excess water in violation of conservation compliance, he or she may be subject to heavy payback penalties with the potential to put growers out of business.

Heitkamp says she worked to make sure the law doesn’t hurt growers who unintentionally violate the rules of the program and to guarantee that it provides a realistic time frame for growers to reach compliance before they are penalized in the event a violation is found.

North Dakota Farm Service Agency Director Aaron Krauter. Photo by Steve Urness.
North Dakota Farm Service Agency Director Aaron Krauter. Photos by Steve Urness.

Heitkamp’s office says the USDA has invested nearly $12.8 billion in North Dakota during the past five years to support farmers, ranchers and growers.

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