Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) announced the introduction of the Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to enroll additional agricultural lands in the Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, or CREP.

CREP is a voluntary land retirement program that helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water.

The Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act would expand lands eligible for the program to include certain qualified wetlands for which there are habitat concerns or risks.

The bill also provides incentives to farmers to engage in seasonal field flooding to better manage their working croplands while supporting wetland-dependent species.

“Many wildlife species rely on wetland habitat created by California’s farmers, including our rice growers. With the Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act, we can expand USDA support for our local growers, offering resources so qualified farmers can flood their fields in the off-season to both improve soil conditions and support the Pacific Flyway ecosystem. Thank you to Rep. LaMalfa for his partnership on our legislation,” said Thompson.

“Drought is always just around the corner, and we have to make the most of the water we get to benefit farms, people, and wildlife. Even in a better water year, poor water policies hurt both farmers and wildlife,” said LaMalfa. “This bill helps protect both by supporting agriculture and the hundreds of species that rely on the Pacific Flyway. It’s a common-sense, bipartisan approach to keeping habitats intact and land productive.”

“The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is a valuable tool that incentivizes producers to seasonally flood croplands, providing habitat and nutrients for the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife,” said Kellis Moss, Ducks Unlimited managing director of federal affairs. “Pacific Flyway waterfowl rely on these seasonally flooded agricultural lands, and the Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act ensures continued availability of this vital habitat. We’re happy to see Rep. LaMalfa and Rep. Thompson introduce this important legislation to support landowners and waterfowl habitat.”

“We appreciate Rep. LaMalfa and Rep. Thompson’s Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act as an additional tool in the toolbox to reward the stewardship of producers to conserve and enhance waterfowl habitat on their working lands,” said John Devney, chief policy officer at Delta Waterfowl. “We look forward to this being part of the conversation as Congress presses forward with continuing work on the Farm Bill and the myriad of ways we can work with private landowners to conserve, restore, and enhance duck habitat.”

Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.