The Environmental Working Group, joined by Defenders of Wildlife, released it's report "Plowed Under" on the impact of high crop prices and crop insurance subsidies on environmental conservation efforts.
In a press conference Monday, the group announced that Congress needs "to make basic environmental protections a condition of receiving federal subsidies in the next farm bill and to reject efforts to slash funds for voluntary conservation programs designed to reduce water pollution problems and restore native habitat."
The federal government last week increased the number of counties that are experiencing a moderate to severe drought this year to include more than half the counties in the country. Many farmers will use their crop insurance policies to offset this year's losses.