CRP sign-up underway

Landowners and producers can now enroll in continuous CRP with general sign-up to follow.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on May 14 reminded farmers and ranchers that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct a four-week Conservation

Reserve Program general sign-up beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. Vilsack also announced the restart of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Grassland Restoration Initiative, the Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives. Sign up for continuous CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30.

Currently, 27 million acres are enrolled in CRP through 700,000 contracts on 390,000 farms throughout the U.S., with enrollment in 49 states and Puerto Rico. Contracts on an estimated 3.3 million acres will expire on Sept. 30. Enrollment authority for all types of CRP, which had expired Sept. 30, 2012, was extended through 2013 by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Offers for general sign-up CRP contracts are ranked according to an Environmental Benefits Index. USDA’s Farm Service Agency collects data for each of the index factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. FSA uses the following factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered:

• Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage;

• Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching;

• On-farm benefits from reduced erosion;

• Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period;

• Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion;

• Cost.

CRP soil rental rates for non-irrigated cropland were updated this year to better reflect location and market conditions. A nationwide cap was placed on the maximum amount that may be paid per acre for the general sign-up.

CRP is the largest USDA conservation program.