DU and conservation

Ducks Unlimited had their annual Gala that started last week and ended over the weekend. And that message about conservation rang out at the convention. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway helped kick off Ducks Unlimited's 2017 National Convention by welcoming the crowd to his home state of Texas. More than 1,000 Ducks Unlimited (DU) volunteers, partners and supporters are in San Antonio for DU's annual meeting.

In his remarks, Chairman Conaway stressed the importance of passing a new Farm Bill to provide a strong safety net and conservation title for our nation's farmers and ranchers.   

As Chairman, Conaway will help oversee writing a new Farm Bill in 2018. The Farm Bill represents the single largest federal investment in private lands conservation totaling more than $25 billion over five years. Ducks Unlimited has a long history of working with Congress, ranchers, farmers and other private landowners across the country to promote Farm Bill programs that enhance and restore millions of acres of critical habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.

"You (DU) have a great story to tell whether it's on the conservation or the production agriculture side, or both. You have to tell it over and over and over again," Chairman Conaway said to the crowd.

This year's National Convention celebrated Duck Unlimited's 80-year conservation legacy. The five-day event, from May 31 to June 4, provided conservation education tours, live entertainment, award presentations and the 80th Annual DU Convention Reception and Gala.