News

FSA ANNOUNCES CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM GENERAL SIGN-UP

HURON, SD, July 26, 2010 - Craig Schaunaman, State Executive Director of USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in South Dakota announced today that a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up will begin on August 2, 2010 and continue through August 27, 2010. Farmers and ranchers interested in offering land under the competitive general sign-up are encouraged to contact their local FSA office.

"CRP offers farmers and ranchers the opportunity to voluntarily enroll their environmentally sensitive land under resource conserving practices," said Schaunaman. "Eligible producers will receive annual rental payments, cost-share, and technical assistance in regard to enrolled land."

Eligible land includes cropland that is planted or considered planted in at least 4 of 6 crop years from 2002 through 2007. CRP acreage with a contract expiring on September 30, 2010, may also be offered for re-enrollment under the general CRP sign-up.

FSA will evaluate and rank eligible CRP offers utilizing the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) to determine environmental benefits gained from enrolling the applicable land in CRP. EBI consists of five environmental factors; including wildlife habitat, water quality, reduced soil erosion, air quality, enduring benefits, and cost. At the conclusion of the general sign-up, the Secretary will determine the EBI cutoff and analyze the EBI of all submitted offers. Land that has met previous general sign-up EBI thresholds is not guaranteed a contract under this general sign-up.

Producers with environmentally desirable land devoted to certain conservation practices may also want to consider enrolling land under the ongoing CRP continuous sign-up. Basic eligibility requirements still apply; however, offers are not subject to competitive bidding.

Additional information about CRP or any other FSA program may be found on the web at www.fsa.usda.gov.