Vilsack announces CRP signup results
July 23, 2013 | 10:51 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday that the Agriculture Department will accept 1.7 million acres that farmers applied to sign up under the 45th general signup.
USDA received nearly 28,000 offers on more than 1.9 million acres of land during the signup, USDA said in a news release, “demonstrating CRP’s continuing appeal as one of our nation’s most successful voluntary programs for soil, water, and wildlife conservation.”
Under Vilsack’s leadership, USDA has enrolled nearly 12 million acres in new CRP contracts since 2009.
Currently, there are more than 26.9 million acres enrolled on 700,000 contracts, but that is lower than the more than 30 million acres that have been enrolled in recent years. As commodity prices have risen, farmers have taken land out of the CRP, which idles it for soil restoration and for wildlife habitat.
The new farm bill will probably reduce the number of acres allowed under the program to about 25 million.
CRP is a voluntary program that allows eligible landowners to receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland throughout the duration of their 10- to 15-year contracts.
Under CRP, farmers and ranchers plant grasses and trees in fields and along streams or rivers. The plantings prevent soil and nutrients from washing into waterways, reduce soil erosion that may otherwise contribute to poor air and water quality, and provide valuable habitat for wildlife.
USDA selected offers for enrollment based on an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) comprising five environmental factors plus cost: wildlife enhancement, water quality, soil erosion, enduring benefits, and air quality.
USDA received nearly 28,000 offers on more than 1.9 million acres of land during the signup, USDA said in a news release, “demonstrating CRP’s continuing appeal as one of our nation’s most successful voluntary programs for soil, water, and wildlife conservation.”
Under Vilsack’s leadership, USDA has enrolled nearly 12 million acres in new CRP contracts since 2009.
Currently, there are more than 26.9 million acres enrolled on 700,000 contracts, but that is lower than the more than 30 million acres that have been enrolled in recent years. As commodity prices have risen, farmers have taken land out of the CRP, which idles it for soil restoration and for wildlife habitat.
The new farm bill will probably reduce the number of acres allowed under the program to about 25 million.
CRP is a voluntary program that allows eligible landowners to receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland throughout the duration of their 10- to 15-year contracts.
Under CRP, farmers and ranchers plant grasses and trees in fields and along streams or rivers. The plantings prevent soil and nutrients from washing into waterways, reduce soil erosion that may otherwise contribute to poor air and water quality, and provide valuable habitat for wildlife.
USDA selected offers for enrollment based on an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) comprising five environmental factors plus cost: wildlife enhancement, water quality, soil erosion, enduring benefits, and air quality.
