美国国家公共电台 NPR--Republican politicians are critical of Biden's voluntary farm conservation plans

Republican politicians are critical of Biden's voluntary farm conservation plans

Transcript¹

Voluntary conservation is embraced by some farmers who get payments. But some governors are comparing the Biden administration's new plan to step up conservation goals to a government takeover.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden signed the other day, includes $20 billion to boost the voluntary conservation of farm lands. The Biden administration has a goal to conserve² 30% of the nation's land and water by 2030 - a goal that many Republicans are criticizing. Nebraska Public Media's Elizabeth Rembert reports.

ELIZABETH REMBERT, BYLINE³: Conservation programs have been a cornerstone of agriculture since the 1930s Dust Bowl. The government has paid farmers and ranchers to set aside land to protect natural resources. And it's worked. There's less erosion and safer groundwater. But now, in some ag circles, conservation is under attack, seemingly for political purposes. Here's Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts at an Earth Day event in Lincoln, Neb., last April.

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PETE RICKETTS: There are radical⁴ environmentalists that are pushing 30%, 50% of the Earth not to be used by humans. That should be very scary.

REMBERT: He's referring to the Biden administration's America the Beautiful initiative. It's essentially⁵ a goal to triple conservation of the nation's land and water to 30%. It's better known as 30x30. Ricketts has spearheaded a movement that frames the initiative as a federal land grab. He and other Republican politicians in states like Colorado, Texas and Virginia suggest the government wants land out of agriculture and will use conservation to trick landowners if that's what it takes.

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RICKETTS: And if we don't stand up for those private property rights, we are undermining the very foundation of our republic.

REMBERT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the government will not be taking land, and he only wants to help farmers and ranchers protect their soil, water and wildlife. And farmers and ranchers want that, too. In a Nebraska poll, 95% of Democrats⁶ and Republicans supported voluntary conservation. Researcher Lori Weigel says that's the highest approval she sees these days.

LORI WEIGEL: This is one of the most bipartisan things I've tested in years, to be honest.

REMBERT: Even so, the president's goal to boost conservation is not going over well in some parts of the country. This unusual pushback makes sense to Elizabeth Rowe, who studies rural environmental views and says most farmers feel a strong sense of responsibility for their land. But that can be coupled with a strong skepticism for the federal government.

ELIZABETH ROWE: I'm not surprised by the idea that you can have communities that really value conservation and oppose this 30x30 policy.

REMBERT: Rowe's research at Duke University showed rural residents often feel they're blamed for climate change and left out of government decisions. John Hansen is with the Nebraska Farmers Union. He says while 30x30 may have some gaps, Governor Ricketts and others are lying about farmers losing control through conservation programs.

JOHN HANSEN: What he has been doing is to create question marks and fears and suspicions where there should be none.

REMBERT: Dean Fedde and his brother Wayne use conservation practices on their Nebraska farm. They say they aren't at all worried about losing ownership.

DEAN FEDDE: There is no land grab. The government is not going to take your farm. They're to help protect that ground. They want to see working farms continue to be working farms. It's just opposite of what's being told.

REMBERT: But many have bought into the land grab message as a political one. And some rural counties across the country have formally opposed the 30x30 goal. So even with widespread support, it appears that conservation is being used as bait to try to turn rural voters against Democratic policies.

For NPR News, I'm Elizabeth Rembert.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》