The Conservation Reserve Program is one of the many tools available to help producers better manage their operations while conserving natural resources. Signup for general CRP is open until April 7.
CRP is a federally funded voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. CRP participants establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Accepted contracts for the 60th CRP enrollment period will become effective Oct. 1. Land that is not currently enrolled in CRP may be offered for enrollment during the CRP general enrollment period. In addition, CRP producers whose contracts are expiring on Sept. 30 may submit offers for re-enrollment.
To be eligible for CRP enrollment, a producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to the end of the CRP enrollment period, unless 1) the new owner acquired the land due to the previous owner’s death; 2) The ownership change occurred due to foreclosure where the owner exercised a timely right of redemptions in accordance with state law or; 3) the circumstance of the acquisition presents adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner did not acquire the land for the purpose of placing it in CRP.
To be eligible for the CRP general enrollment period, land must be cropland (including field margins) that is planted, or considered planted, to an agricultural commodity four of the six crop years from 2012 to 2017 and be physically and legally capable of being planted (no planting restrictions due to an easement or other legally binding instrument) in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity. Alfalfa or other multiyear grasses and legumes grown in a rotation not to exceed 12 years may also be eligible. In addition eligible land requirements for the general signup enrollment must meet certain criteria. This includes at least of one the following: Have a weighted average erosion index of eight or higher, be expiring CRP acres, or be in a national or state CRP conservation priority area.
FSA provides applicants who are selected for CRP general enrollment with annual rental payments in return for establishing long-term resource-conserving covers. FSA bases rental rates on the relative productivity of the soils within each county and the average dryland cash rent subject to a statutory 85 percent proration. Producers may offer land below the rate to increase the likelihood that their offer will be accepted. FSA provides cost-share assistance to participants who establish an approved cover on eligible cropland. The cost-share assistance cannot exceed 50 percent of the participant’s costs to establish the approved practices. FSA provides a Climate-Smart Program Incentive of 3, 5, or 10 percent for certain CRP practices that will increase carbon sequestration, reduce GHG emissions, and otherwise are climate smart practices.
General CRP offers will be ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). FSA ranks each eligible offer in comparison to all other offers and selects from that ranking. After the enrollment period ends, the secretary of agriculture will decide where to make the EBI cutoff. Those who have met previous EBI thresholds are not guaranteed a contract under this signup period.
More information on EBI for the CRP enrollment period is available by reading the FSA fact sheet, “Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment, Environmental Benefits Index” at www.farmers.gov.
In addition to the CRP general enrollment period, producers at any time can participate in CRP continuous enrollment period, in which producers can enroll the most environmental sensitive land. Eligibility requirements will apply. More information on the CRP continuous enrollment is available in the FSA fact sheet, “Conservation Reserve Program Continuous Sign-Up.”
Contact the Ashley County FSA office at 310 N. Cherry St. in Hamburg or by calling 870-853-9881.
