USDA accepting 1M acres into general CRP

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year's Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up. A USDA news release said this is one of several signups that the Farm Service Agency is having for the program. The results for CRP general signup reflect the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the long-term health, sustainability and profitability of their land and resources, the release said. Offers for new land in the general CRP signup totaled about 295,000 acres nationwide. Producers submitted re-enrollment offers for 891,000 expiring acres. The release said the total number of CRP acres will continue to climb in the coming weeks as FSA accepts acres from the Grassland CRP signup, which closed May 26. Additionally, so far this year, FSA has received 761,000 offered acres for the Continuous CRP signup, for which FSA accepts applications year-round. The number of accepted acres enrolled in general CRP will be confirmed later this year. Participating producers and landowners should remember that submitting and accepting a CRP offer is the first step, and producers must develop a conservation plan before contracts become effective on Oct. 1. Each year, during the window between offer acceptance and land enrollment, some producers ultimately decide not to enroll some accepted acres, without penalty. Through CRP, the release said producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve soil health and water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat on agricultural land. In addition to the other well-documented benefits, lands enrolled in CRP are playing a key role in climate change mitigation efforts across the country. For more information, call the local Agricultural Services Center at 419-447-7071.