Conservation Reserve Program Signup 49 deadline is Feb. 26

Press release

BOZEMAN — Bruce Nelson, USDA Farm Service Agency state executive director, has reminded Montana farmers and ranchers that the deadline for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program Signup 49 General sign-up is Feb. 26.

To be eligible for CRP, land must meet cropping history requirements of being planted or considered planted four out of six years from 2008-2013 and meet one of the following: 

1) have a weighted average Erodibility Index for the three predominant soils of eight or greater;

2) be enrolled in CRP that is scheduled to expire Sept. 30; or,

3) the offered acreage must be located in a National or State Conservation Priority Area.

CRP General Signup 49 offers will be ranked nationally based on the Environmental Benefits Index points received on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered.  Acreage lying within a State Conservation Priority Zone will receive additional EBI points. Montana has two state priority zones: water quality and wildlife. 

Links to these zones may be found at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/mt49cpas.pdf and http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/mt49pz.pdf.

Farmers and ranchers who are interested in enrolling acreage in CRP and have acreage that lies within one of the zones on the map, should contact their local FSA office for opportunities to receive additional EBI points for certain CRP practices.

Farmers and ranchers enrolled in a Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Stewardship Program contract should contact their local NRCS office for available options if they are interested in enrolling in CRP.

Participants in CRP establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees — known as “covers” — to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. 

Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish native plant species on marginal agricultural lands for the primary purpose of preventing soil erosion and improving water quality and related benefits of reducing loss of wildlife habitat.

For more information on CRP, people can contact their local FSA office or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/mt.