Vilsack unveils conservation policy during local stop

PHOTO BY RUSS MITCHELL / Former Iowa First Lady and candidate for Congress Christie Vilsack speaks with a local audience in Arnolds Park Thursday, Jan. 20. The appearance at the Koffee Kup Kafe is part of a tour to promote conservation policy in Iowa's 4th District. [Order this photo]

Vilsack is running as a Democrat in the new Iowa 4th District and used a stop in Arnolds Park to highlight her plan for conservation and job creation. Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King also lives in the 4th District and plans to run again.

"My sole reason for running for Congress is to make sure that people can still live in small towns, that our children or grandchildren -- if they want to -- can still have the opportunity to earn a decent living," Vilsack said during remarks at the Koffee Kup Kafe in Arnolds Park.

"While a lot of people think of hunting and fishing as just recreation, outdoor activity in this state and across the country is huge economic opportunity," Vilsack said.

She also cited Fish and Wildlife Foundation statistics that suggest 58 percent of Iowans participate in outdoor recreation. Vilsack says the industry creates 27,000 jobs and is a billion-dollar business in the state.

"That's important for the economy, but it's also important for the soul," Vilsack said. "It's important, at least in my family and I know it's true with a lot of other families: The idea of me getting to go with my dad duck hunting when I was 10-years-old and sitting there in the duck blind early, early in the morning as the sun was coming up. While we didn't shoot any ducks that day, I got to drink coffee for the first time out of that thermos with that old, red, plastic cup on the top. I felt really special."

Vilsack told the audience land values are so high, farmers are putting more acres into production at the expense of conservation reserve programs. She called for more incentives for landowners.

The candidate would dedicate up to $20 million of existing Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) funds to encourage farmers to open up use of their land for outdoor recreation during certain times of the year.

"If you have a a great fishing spot and you would be willing to open up your land for a certain part of the year, you would be compensated," she said.

She also called for changes to the Conservation Reserve Program, which would expand the sign-up period for growers to set aside, and be compensated for, environmentally-sensitive land.

"These are common sense steps we can take to crate jobs, protect our natural resources, encourage outdoor recreation and help Iowa farmers respond to the demands of an increasingly changing marketplace," she said.

Vilsack also stopped by the Spring Run Public Access complex east of Arnold Park as part of the local appearance.