On June 7, Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Sportsmen's Act of 2012 that pulls together 16 separate bills impacting sportsmen, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The bills are packaged and filed as an amendment to the Senate's Farm Bill that is currently being debated on the Senate floor (see related story).

Agencies in the five states that are home to the Lesser Prairie Chicken (LPC) have joined forces to develop a conservation plan for the species in an effort to preclude the need for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), according to the Wildlife Management Institute. Working together under the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Western Grassland Initiative (WGI), state and federal agencies hope to have the same outcome of preventing a listing of the LPC that they achieved with black-tailed prairie dogs and swift fox.

Despite near-record prices for many crops, interest in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) remains high, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that nearly 48,000 offers were received from agricultural producers covering 4.5 million acres during the 43^rd general sign-up opportunity for CRP that concluded in late May. USDA accepted 3.9 million acres into the program out of the 4.5 million acres offered.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will acquire approximately 1,368 acres for the National Wildlife Refuge System with $1.3 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, the proceeds of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp). In addition, the Service will be providing $25 million in grants for wetlands conservation through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

Senators overwhelmingly approved a measure to open debate on the 2012 Farm Bill on June 6. By a vote of 90 to 8, the Senate voted to open discussions of the bill on the full Senate floor, according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

Negotiations were recently completed for the 80^th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference to be held March 9 to 14, 2015, at the Hilton Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska. The 80^th North American in Omaha will be preceded by the 79^th from March 10 to 15, 2014 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado, and the 78^th from March 25 to 30, 2013 at the Marriott Gateway Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.