{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-discusses-conservation-grazing-bill-local-stakeholders", "Hartzler Discusses Conservation Grazing Bill with Local Stakeholders", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "HARRISONVILLE, MO \u2013 Today Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) hosted a discussion with local stakeholders about a bill she recently introduced to allow grazing on lands that are part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Landowners who participate in this program are required to manage the grass growth mid-cycle of their CRP contract and Rep. Hartzler\u2019s bill would add grazing as an allowable management option.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe most recent science is clear about the benefits grazing as a land-management\u00a0tool,\u201d Hartzler said. \u201cIt improves critical wildlife habitats, making them more friendly to the quail, turkey, and pheasant populations, gives cattle a nutritious grass source\u00a0and improves soil health. My bill also gives CRP landowners more flexibility in managing their land, saves taxpayer dollars and ultimately benefits the environment.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe following organizations were represented at the discussion Hartzler hosted:\n\u00a0\n Missouri Farm Bureau\n\tMissouri Department of Conservation\n\tNational Wild Turkey Federation\n\tNature Conservancy\n\tPheasants Forever\n\tQuails Forever\n\tU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA)\n \u00a0\nBackground: The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentivizes landowners to manage their property in a way that reduces land erosion, enhances water quality and betters wildlife. As part of the program, landowners are required to clear their lands periodically. Currently, burning, chemical burning and discing are among the allowable methods, and they are subsidized by the federal government. Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s bill would add grazing to the list of options, but it would come at no cost to the government. This option would save taxpayer dollars and would also improve soil quality, wildlife habitats, and forage options for cattle.\n\u00a0\nConservation groups like Quail Forever, the National Turkey Federation and Pheasants Forever attest that grazing is a valuable tool to manage grasslands and establish stable wildlife habitats, which is a key goal of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).\n\u00a0\n-30-\nInterested members of the media may contact Anna Swick at anna.swick@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-discusses-conservation-grazing-bill-local-stakeholders"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3174689374864101, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}