U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., said the new farm bill, which he believes will soon pass, will contribute to national conservation efforts. “It’s a major step forward for conservation in terms of renewable energy and in terms of nutrition,” Salazar said in an appearance at the Morgan County Rural Electric Association on Thursday. “It also addresses some specific problems in the high-plains area that goes for water users along the South Platte.” The two critical issues of the legislation include water use and federal government attention to rural America, he said. Language in the bill would help farmers along the South Platte and Republican rivers who lost water rights, he said. The legislation would allow eligible farmers to enroll some of their land in the Conservation Reserve Program, which would provide financial assistance to those who lost a portion of their income. “It will be a significant amount of payment for farmers who are affected,” he said.

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