Big Ag vs. Wetlands: How Farm Lobbies Block Protection
Agricultural lobbying groups are systematically blocking state wetlands protection laws, putting billions in ecosystem benefits at risk across the Midwest.
What You'll Learn in This Article
Supreme Court's Sackett decision stripped protection from 60 million acres of wetlands
Illinois and Iowa Farm Bureaus oppose wetlands protection despite farmer benefits
The $22 billion annual cost of losing Midwest wetland ecosystem services
Insurance company money fuels agricultural lobbying against environmental protection
What regenerative farmers can do to support wetland conservation efforts
The battle over America's remaining wetlands has reached a critical turning point. After the Supreme Court's devastating 2023 Sackett v. EPA ruling stripped federal protection from millions of acres, powerful agricultural lobbying groups are now blocking state-level efforts to fill the regulatory gap.
This corporate resistance threatens not just wetland ecosystems, but the very foundation of sustainable agriculture that regenerative farmers depend upon.
The Sackett Decision Created a Wetlands Crisis
The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Sackett v. EPA fundamentally changed how America protects its wetlands. The decision requires wetlands to have a "continuous surface connection" to navigable waters—eliminating the broader ecological protections that previously covered isolated wetlands.
Key Impact: Nearly 60 million acres of wetlands nationwide lost federal protection overnight.
In the agricultural heartland, the damage is particularly severe:
Illinois: 41-96% of remaining wetlands (970,000+ acres) now lack federal oversight
Iowa: 41-98% of wetlands (630,000+ acres) fall outside federal jurisdiction
Regional cost: Over $22 billion annually in lost flood mitigation benefits
These numbers represent catastrophic losses for states that have already destroyed 85-95% of their original wetland ecosystems to make way for industrial agriculture.
Farm Bureaus: The Hidden Power Behind Anti-Environmental Politics
When Illinois State Senator Laura Ellman introduced the Wetlands Protection Act to create state-level safeguards, she faced immediate opposition from the Illinois Farm Bureau. Despite the bill's exemptions for routine farming activities, the Bureau launched an aggressive pressure campaign.
"If the Farm Bureau is against it, a lot of legislators from downstate will be against it," Senator Ellman admitted, highlighting the organization's outsized political influence.
The Insurance Money Behind Agricultural Lobbying
Here's what most people don't know about Farm Bureau power: These organizations derive most of their revenue from insurance industry investments, not farmer membership dues.
The Iowa Farm Bureau, for example, gets over 80% of its revenue from its 61% ownership stake in FBL Financial Group. This structure means:
Annual lobbying expenditures exceed $170,000 in Iowa and $120,000 in Illinois
Corporate insurance interests often override individual farmer needs
Political influence extends far beyond traditional agricultural concerns
Why Farmers Oppose Wetlands Protection (And Why They Shouldn't)
The research reveals several economic incentives driving farmer opposition to wetlands protection:
Land Value Considerations
Farmland with wetlands typically holds 15-30% lower market value than drained cropland. Converting a 10-acre wetland could increase property value by $150,000-$300,000 in prime Illinois farmland areas.
Yield Optimization
Tile drainage systems that remove wetland water can boost:
Soybean yields by 4-8%
Corn yields by 5-12%
Annual revenue gains of $200-$500 per acre
Regulatory Cost Avoidance
New wetland regulations would impose permit fees ranging from $265-$8,395, plus mitigation costs averaging $5,000-$10,000 per acre.
The Hidden Costs of Wetland Destruction
While short-term farm profits drive wetland conversion, the long-term costs are staggering:
Flood Protection Losses
Each acre of wetlands provides approximately $745 annually in flood mitigation benefits. With climate change intensifying extreme weather, these natural buffers become increasingly valuable. The 2024 Midwest floods caused over $3 billion in damages—much of it in areas where wetlands had been destroyed.
Water Quality Degradation
Wetlands filter agricultural runoff, removing excess nutrients and pesticides that would otherwise contaminate drinking water sources. Ironically, the same industrial agriculture opposing wetland protection depends on these ecosystems to manage its environmental impacts.
Carbon Storage
Midwestern wetlands store 10-30 tons of carbon per acre. Their destruction releases stored carbon while eliminating future sequestration capacity—undermining climate goals that many farmers could benefit from through carbon credit programs.
The Regenerative Agriculture Connection
For practitioners of regenerative agriculture, healthy wetlands provide essential ecosystem services:
Water Cycle Regulation: Wetlands help maintain the water balance that regenerative systems depend upon for soil health and crop resilience.
Biodiversity Support: Wetland ecosystems support beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife that provide natural pest control and pollination services.
Nutrient Cycling: Properly functioning wetlands demonstrate the natural nutrient cycling principles that regenerative farmers seek to emulate.
Climate Resilience: Wetlands buffer extreme weather events, protecting both crops and soil from flood damage.
Breaking Through the Lobbying Blockade
Despite Farm Bureau opposition, some states have made progress. Colorado successfully enacted bipartisan wetlands protection legislation in 2024, creating a state permitting system administered by the Department of Public Health and Environment.
Effective Advocacy Strategies
Economic Messaging: Emphasize wetlands as natural infrastructure that saves taxpayers money on flood control and water treatment.
Business Coalition Building: Partner with insurance companies, municipal governments, and businesses that bear the costs of wetland destruction.
Farmer Education: Help farmers understand how wetland conservation can complement regenerative practices and provide additional revenue streams through conservation programs.
A Call to Action for Regenerative Agriculture
The wetlands crisis represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the regenerative agriculture movement. By supporting wetlands protection, regenerative farmers can:
Demonstrate commitment to whole-system thinking
Build alliances with environmental and municipal interests
Position regenerative agriculture as the solution to industrial agriculture's environmental problems
Access new funding streams for conservation practices
The choice is clear: We can continue down the path of industrial agriculture that destroys natural systems for short-term profits, or we can embrace regenerative approaches that work with wetland ecosystems to create truly sustainable food systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do wetlands specifically benefit regenerative farms? A: Wetlands support regenerative agriculture by maintaining water cycles, providing habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife, filtering nutrients naturally, and demonstrating the ecological principles that regenerative farmers seek to replicate on their land.
Q: Why don't farmers support wetland protection if it provides benefits? A: Many farmers focus on short-term economic incentives like higher land values and increased yields from draining wetlands. However, this ignores long-term costs like flood damage, water quality problems, and lost ecosystem services that ultimately hurt agricultural productivity.
Q: What can regenerative farmers do to support wetland conservation? A: Regenerative farmers can advocate for state-level wetland protection laws, participate in voluntary conservation programs, educate other farmers about wetland benefits, and build coalitions with environmental groups and municipalities that share interests in water quality and flood protection.
Q: Are there financial incentives for farmers to preserve wetlands? A: Yes, programs like the Conservation Reserve Program offer $200-$300 per acre annually for wetland conservation. The Farmable Wetlands Program provides $50-$150 per acre for marginal wetlands. Carbon credit programs may also provide future revenue opportunities.
Q: How does the insurance industry connection affect Farm Bureau positions? A: Farm Bureaus derive most revenue from insurance industry investments rather than farmer dues, which can create conflicts of interest. Insurance company priorities may not always align with what's best for working farmers or environmental protection.
About the Author: Ryan Griggs is the founder of The Regenaissance, a movement dedicated to rebuilding food sovereignty through regenerative agriculture, ancestral wisdom, and radical truth-telling.