Forestry, agriculture, outdoor recreation and tourism are big business in South Carolina: $54 billion or one-third of the economy. That's over 450,000 jobs, or 25% of our jobs – more than manufacturing and construction combined. We can enrich our economy by supporting our state agencies.
A little investment goes a long way. The combined budgets of the state Agriculture Department, Forestry Commission, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism account for less than one percent of the state budget. Businesses benefit from agency expertise, public/private partnerships and the federal funds that agencies attract. While we continue to press for more accountability and transparency for the DHEC permitting process, we believe it is critical to adequately fund DHEC to monitor clean air and water and ensure public health.
The Conservation Bank has protected more than 156,000 acres of our state's family farms, working forests, parks, historic sites and recreational streams at the bargain price of $534 per acre. Places for outdoor recreation, such as hiking, hunting and fishing, create a high quality of life that attracts tax-paying businesses and residents to our communities. The Bank's work is not complete but unless legislation passes the Senate this year to extend the Conservation Bank's "sunset" to 2023, it will cease to exist in 2013.
(View 2012 Conservation Bank Votes here and here.)
