COLUMBUS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting offers for nearly 2.7 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners through this year’s Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP, Grassland signup, which received a record-setting sign-up of 4.6 million acres in offers.
This program allows producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while protecting grasslands and further CRP conservation efforts. Grassland CRP is part of the Biden administration’s broader effort to address climate change and conserve natural resources.
To target conservation in key geographies, USDA prioritized land within two National Priority Zones: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Dust Bowl area. Top states for this year’s Grassland CRP signup include: Colorado, at 430,899 acres; Nebraska, at 417,865 acres; and South Dakota, at 325,443 acres. More than 5,700 acres in Ohio were signed up this year.
Additionally, USDA has accepted more than 1 million acres through the General CRP signup nationwide, and more than 465,800 acres have been submitted through the Continuous CRP signup so far this year. Producers can still make an offer to participate in CRP through the Continuous CRP signup, which is ongoing, by contacting FSA at their local USDA Service Center.
