Continuous CRP offers benefits to both landowners and wildlife

The nation’s premiere conservation program has been the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). For the past 22 years, producers have been provided the opportunity to offer land determined to meet eligibility requirements into the CRP for periods of 10, 15, and even 30 years in exchange for annual rental payments. The goals have been to improve conservation practices, target lands to maximize conservation benefits, mitigate negative environmental impacts from agriculture production, and to conserve natural resources and enhance the environment. The outcomes of these strategic goals for society have been a visible quality improvement in soil, water, wildlife habitat, and air. The USDA offers through the Farm Service Agency a continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup that permits farm and landowners with eligible land the opportunity to enroll land into the CRP at any time. The advantages of the continuous CRP enrollment are not waiting for a general signup announcement, acceptance into the CRP if land meets eligibility requirements, and removal of less productive cropland thereby improving financial position. Many of the same conservation practices available to landowners under the general signup are available under the continuous signup as well. Conservation practices such as the CP-33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, CP-22, Riparian Buffers, CP-9, Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife, and CP-8A, Grassed Waterways can provide immediate benefits and landowners and wildlife. Several of these practices require producers to divert areas ranging from a minimum of 30 feet to a maximum of 120 feet along streams, woodland, or waterways. These serve as prime nesting or breeding habitat for wildlife and are required to be maintained through a mid term management treatments agreements. In addition to annual rental payments earned by producers, practice incentive payments can also be earned by successful applicants. Several practices offer an annual maintenance payment, a one time practice incentive payment (PIP) equal to 40% of the total eligible cost of practice installation, and a signing incentive payment (SIP) of $10 for each eligible acre enrolled for each full year (not to exceed 10 years). Additionally, producers would receive cost-sharing assistance for establishment of the cover on the land offered if required by the specific practice. Producer eligibility requirements to offer land for enrollment in the Continuous CRP include owning the land for at least 12 month prior to submitting the offer, or acquiring the land by will or succession as a result of death. Persons offering land into the continuous CRP must meet the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions. The AGI limitation provides that an individual or entity shall not be eligible to receive certain benefits, during a crop year, if the average adjusted gross income of the individual or entity exceeds $2.5 million, and less than 75 percent of the average AGI is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry operations. Before cropland acreage may be determined acceptable for enrollment under a continuous CRP, the Farm Service Agency County Committee must determine that: (1)producer eligibility requirements have been met, (2)that the acreage offered is cropland as defined by FSA, (3) the acreage offered meets the eligibility criteria; that is, the land must have a cropping history in 4 or 6 years between 1996 and 2001; (4) the practice offered is an eligible practice for continuous signup; (5) the practice and acreage offered meet the program policy and size requirements; (6) the county cropland limit is not exceeded; (7) NRCS or a technical service person determined the acreage is suitable, the practice is needed, and the purpose of the practice is met; and (8) the producer offers a per acre rental rate that is less than or equal to the calculated maximum payment rate. Land that is considered marginal pastureland must meet some of the same requirements, yet has practice specific requirements as well. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of the Conservation Reserve Program, or whether or not you have land eligible to offer for enrollment, contact the Farm Service Agency service center located at 811 Faulkner Springs Road, McMinnville, Tenn.