WASHINGTON — The deadline to sign up for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is Aug. 17.
For this year’s sign-up, limited priority practices are available for continuous enrollment. They include grassed waterways, filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restoration and others.
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency will use updated soil rental rates to make annual rental payments, reflecting current values. It will not offer incentive payments as part of the new sign-up.
USDA will not open a general sign-up this year, however, a one-year extension will be offered to existing CRP participants with expiring CRP contracts of 14 years or less.
CRP grasslands
Additionally, FSA established new ranking criteria for CRP grasslands. To guarantee all CRP grasslands offers are treated equally, applicants who previously applied (prior to the current sign-up period) will be asked to reapply using the new ranking criteria.
About CRP
In return for enrolling land in CRP, USDA, through FSA on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), provides participants who remove sensitive lands from production and plant certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat with annual rental payments and cost-share assistance. Landowners enter into contracts that last between 10 and 15 years.
The new changes to CRP do not impact the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, a related program offered by CCC and state partners.
Producers wanting to apply for the CRP continuous sign-up or CRP grasslands should contact their USDA service center. To locate your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.
