For 75 years, the Farm Bill (under various names) has been shaping conservation in this country. This massive conglomerate of legislation dabbles in everything from food stamps to land deals. While this year’s $289 billion Farm Bill cut programs and fell well short of conservationists’ hopes, it did contain a few highlights for elk country.

For elk, elk country and elk hunters, a provision called the voluntary public access, or Open Fields, “is a big win for sportsmen and conservationists,” says Geoff Mullins of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. It provides $50 million in new grant money to use as incentive for owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch and forest land to open their lands to public hunting and fishing.

“It’s the first time federal dollars have been available for contribution to existing state programs,” says Mullins. “In a time of tight budgets it is a statement from lawmakers that hunting and fishing access on private lands is important.”

Conservation easements also scored big by extending incentives in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 through 2009. For ranchers and farmers, those incentives mean big tax breaks for donating a conservation easement. By placing an easement on their land, they may deduct up to 100 percent of the conservation easement’s value from their adjusted gross income. Other landowners donating an easement may deduct up to 50 percent of its value. The Farm Bill also extends the 5-year carryover to 15 years for any unused portion of donations made in 2008 and 2009.

“For landowners on the fence about placing a conservation easement on their land, these incentives should motivate them to do it,” says Blake Henning, director of lands for the Elk Foundation. “Tax incentives are just one more tool we can use to show landowners how conservation easements benefit them and elk country.”