Time flies when you are locked in your basement for almost nine months. We have now officially entered the Christmas season of 2020. This is something people were talking about doing in September, as they wanted this year to get over with as soon as possible. Now that the calendar has caught up with our desires to get this year over and get on to 2021, there are a few things we need to talk about as plans are made for the next growing season. One of those plans has to do with how you are going to use your land. The signup period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will open after the beginning of the year.
The general enrollment period for CRP opens on January 4th. This is a competitive signup period. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce tells us more about the signup period that runs until February 12th.
While the signup period is only a few short weeks, Fordyce does not feel that it should lessen the number of applications they receive. He says that most operations that plan to either enroll or reenroll their acreage have those plans made in advance of the opening of the signup. However, he also suggests that families take the time during the holidays to have those discussions about the plans for their operations. Especially those who are looking at CRP signup as a new opportunity for their lands.
With COVID-19 concerns, it is best to already be making arrangements through your local county FSA office to make an appointment or look at applying online. You can find more information by logging on to the FSA website and searching through their CRP section.
