U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will highlight conservation programs during a speech at the National Farmers Union convention in Nebraska.
Vilsack will speak to the group Monday morning.
The Agriculture Department announced a new program Friday that
offers financial incentives for farmers to enroll up to 1 million new acres in the conservation reserve program. The new program focuses on grasslands and wetlands.
About 6.5 million of the 30 million acres the government pays farmers to idle are covered by contracts that expire this fall.
Officials are worried that farmers might decide to put more land into production to take advantage of high corn and soybean prices.
Vilsack says he hopes to be able to keep the number of acres enrolled in the conservation program around 30 million.
