CRP enrollment opportunities exist

SPOKANE, August 15, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Washington state continues to accept Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) offers for the Highly Erodible Land Initiative. This initiative is part of the Continuous CRP enrollment being conducted in FSA offices statewide.

“Like regular Continuous CRP enrollment, the Initiative is another option for producers with CRP acres expiring this Sept. 30, but who were unable to re-enroll in the program during the nationwide General CRP enrollment,” said FSA State Executive Director Judy Olson.

Participants in CRP establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees 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. Highly erodible lands are fragile and vulnerable to erosion. For farmers and landowners with cropland exceeding an Erosion Index greater than 20, establishing grass or tree cover will help maintain the long-term health of the land, explained Olson.

Washington has about 10,000 acres available for the Initiative. FSA will accept Continuous CRP offers under the Initiative on a first-come, first-served basis.

Land in a CRP contract that will expire by Sept. 30, 2016, may be offered for enrollment into the program, provided the new contract, with all signatures, is completed by Sept. 30. Land not previously enrolled in CRP or previous CRP land that returned to cropping may also be offered for enrollment. Land not previously enrolled must have been considered cropped or in a conserving use, such as summer fallow, for at least four of the six years 2008-2013.

Landowners with successful offers will work with FSA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to develop conservation plans and 10-year CRP contracts. If the conservation plan and other required documents are received by Sept. 30, contracts can be approved with an Oct. 1, 2016, effective date. Conservation plans and documentation received later will be effective one month after their approval.

FSA will pay rental payments on the land for the 10 years it is in the program and will pay up to 50 percent of the cost to establish a conserving, vegetative stand on the CRP acres. Persons interested in this initiative, or other available Continuous CRP practices should contact their local FSA office for more information. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. To learn more about the HEL initiative and other CRP programs, visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.