News

CRP general signup announced

USDA will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. Currently, about 30 million acres are enrolled in CRP; and contracts on an estimated 6.5 million acres will expire on September 30, 2012.

Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, signup basis.

Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). The Index takes into consideration wildlife habitat benefits, water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching, air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion and if any of those benefits would extend beyond the life of the contract.