WASHINGTON – USDA?s Conservation Reserve Program has been keeping sensitive land out of agricultural production since 1985. This year it celebrates a milestone birthday, and coinciding with it, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is adding acres and extending contracts.
?Folks who have a CRP contract that?s expiring on September 30th of this year will be given an opporutnity ot extend that contract for an additional year, if they so choose,? Vilsack explained by phone last week. ?We?re also adding 800,000 additional acres to three very popular continuous CRP programs; the Wetland Preserve Program, the SAFE (State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement) Program, and the Duck Nesting Habitat Program.?
According to Vilsack, CRP has prevented more than 8 billion tons of soil from eroding, has reduced nitrogen and phosphorus runoff relative to cropland by 95 and 85 percent respectively, and helps sequester 43 million tons of greenhouse gases annually; about as much as would be sequestered by taking 8 million cars off the road each year.
Through December 1, 2015 and Feburary 26th, 2016, USDA will hold a general signup for new offers to participate from owners of environmentally sensitive land. Contracts tend to last between 10 and 15 years, and require participants to establish plant cover to improve the environment. In return, USDA provides both rental payments and cost-share assistance to participants.
Vilsack says this year USDA is also augmenting some aspects of the program to make bookkeeping a little easier.
?I think they?ll be pleased to see the new NRCS gateway,? said Vilsack of participants. ?It?s an online portal that will allow folks to access information about their conservation plan and conservation plans at NRCS more easily. They won?t have to go into an office. They?ll be able to do it online.?
To learn more about the Conservation Reserve Program, click the audio player above this story.
