Farmers and ranchers are reminded that the general enrollment period for the Conservation Reserve Program started Dec. 1, 2015, and ends on Friday. December 2015 also marks the 30th anniversary of CRP, a federally funded program that assists agricultural producers with the cost of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.
As of September 2015, 24.2 million acres were enrolled in CRP. CRP also is protecting more than 170,000 stream miles with riparian forest and grass buffers, enough to go around the world 7 times.
Participants in CRP establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, known as “covers,” to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. At times when commodity prices are low, enrolling sensitive lands in CRP can be especially attractive to farmers and ranchers, as it softens the economic hardship for landowners at the same time that it provides ecological benefits.
Contracts on 1.64 million acres of CRP are set to expire on Sept. 30, 2016. Producers with expiring contracts or producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP.
For more information FSA conservation programs, visit the Jasper County FSA office or www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation.
If you are interested in enrolling acres, please contact the Jasper County FSA office to schedule an appointment to complete your enrollment at 641-792-5019.