WAYNE – Just a couple days remain on the deadline for agricultural producers interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 2020 general signup.
According to a release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this signup is available to farmers and private landowners who are either enrolling for the first time or re-enrolling for another 10-15 year term. The deadline is Friday, February 28.
Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive yearly rental payments for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”), which can control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands.
CRP has 22 million acres enrolled, but the 2018 Farm Bill lifted the cap to 27 million acres.
Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands conservation programs in the U.S. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits. The proam will mark its 35th anniversary in 2020.
The CRP continuous signup is ongoing, which enables producers to enroll for certain practices. FSA plans to open the Soil Health and Income Protection Program, a CRP pilot program, in early 2020, and the 2020 CRP Grasslands signup runs from March 16 to May 15, 2020.
To enroll in CRP, contact your local FSA county office or visit fsa.usda.gov/crp.