The Impact of Federal Programs on Wetlands - Vol. II
Changes to Swampbuster in the 1996 Farm Bill
Modifications to Conservation Title programs include changes to
the Wetlands Conservation (Swampbuster) provision to allow USDA
to waive penalties associated with violations in exchange for
mitigation specified by USDA and to determine which USDA program
benefits may be withheld from violators. Eligibility to receive
Freedom to Farm payments is still linked to compliance with
Swampbuster and Highly Erodible Land provisions. However, the
statute removed crop insurance and disaster payments from the
list of USDA program benefits subject to Swampbuster, thereby
lessening the incentive to comply. The added flexibility for
USDA to waive penalties may further diminish the incentive to
comply with Swampbuster, and may place greater pressure on USDA
to be lenient in enforcing the wetland conservation provisions.
Return to Chapter 3
URL: http://www.doi.gov/oepc/wetlands2/swamp.html
Pagemaster: smoore@usgs.gov
Revised: 06-27-96