CRP sign up begins May 20
RED OAK — “Producers will begin signing up for the General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on May 20, 2013,” said Christine Irvin, Acting County Executive Director for the Montgomery County Farm Service Agency, “This sign up will continue through June 14.”
“To be eligible for enrollment, along with other eligibility requirements, cropland has to have been planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of the six years from 2002-2007,” said Irvin. “Land that meets cropping history and is physically and legally capable of being cropped may also be eligible if it fits into one or more of the following categories; (a) is located within a national or state conservation priority area, (b) has an average Erodibility Index (EI) of 8 or greater, or (c) the land is currently enrolled in CRP scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2013.”
During this sign up, producers offer land for CRP’s competitive general sign-up. After sign up ends June 14, all offers will be evaluated and ranked considering the environmental benefits to be gained from enrolling the land in CRP. The Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) consists of five environmental factors (wildlife, water, soil, air and enduring benefits) and cost. Offered bids must meet the EBI threshold to be enrolled into the program. Those not meeting the requirements will be notified of their bids being rejected. Those that have met previous sign-up EBI threshold are not guaranteed a contract under this sign-up. In addition to the general sign-up, CRP’s continuous sign-up program is on-going and targets the most environmentally desirable and sensitive land.
The Conservation Reserve Program is a voluntary program which helps participants use their environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. These producers will plant long-term resource-conserving covers in return for annual rental payments, cost share and technical assistance. This program assists in creating new wildlife habitat and enhancing water, soil and water quality through a variety of covers that can be established on the offered land.
For more information on the Conservation Reserve Program, please contact the Montgomery County FSA Office or visit FSA’s website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.