WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA has temporarily paused approvals of any Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) applications. The move was made because the program had come close to reaching an acreage cap imposed by the 2014 farm bill, according to an agency official.

 

Producers and landowners may still apply, but those applications won’t be  considered until Oct. 1, the start of the next fiscal year. The announcement was effective May 3. The 2014 farm bill caps all CRP acreage at 24 million, said Bradley Karmen, acting deputy administrator of farm programs for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the program. Enrollment as of May 3 was 23.5 million acres, he wrote in a memo to state and county FSA offices.

Contracts covering about 2.5 million acres are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year, Karmen said. The acreage cap for CRP in the 2014 farm bill was lower than in the two previous bills. A limit of 32 million acres was set in 2008 and 39.2 million in 2002.

Under general CRP, farmers and landowners who remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and then plant species designed to improve environmental health and quality receive an annual rental payment.

CRP enrollments are for 10-15 years. FSA pays cost-share money for eligible practices such as filter strips, grasses, tree planting and wildlife habitat buffers.

“The practices depend on the targeted environmental concern,” said Susan Hovermale, conservation program specialist for the Indiana FSA. “For example, there are specific trees of benefit to bats and certain grasses support bobwhite quail.”

Signup for general CRP is a competitive process, as applicants don’t know if they’re accepted until the environmental impact of their proposed practices is ranked, she said. No dates have been announced for a general signup at this time.

With CCRP, landowners and farmers may apply at any time and the process is not competitive, she noted. CCRP practices include grass waterways, field wind breaks and grass filter strips.

USDA’s announcement “is a temporary pause to allow us to see exactly where our acreage numbers are,” Hovermale explained. “We encourage landowners and operators to continue to come to our offices and report resource concerns to us.”

Enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) isn’t impacted by the announcement. Under CREP, federal and state conservation officials use joint resources to target specific environmental concerns in each state.

CREP funding in Indiana is focused on priority watersheds such as the White River and Upper Wabash River, she said. Eligible practices include riparian buffers, bottom land hardwood tree practices and wetland restoration.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has urged the USDA to allow enrollment in CCRP in fiscal year 2018 for applications received during the rest of fiscal year 2017 or in the next fiscal year.

“It is also imperative for USDA to provide a mechanism in the coming weeks or months for CCRP reenrollment offers for contracts that expire on Sept. 30 so that there will be no gaps for farmers intending to keep land in buffer strips or targeted wildlife practices beyond their existing contracts,” the organization said.

“By reserving any new room under the cap next fiscal year for CCRP, USDA can help to address the growing demand for the program and bring any FY 2017 accepted applicants, and any CCRP reenrollment candidates, out of limbo faster.”

NSAC recommended setting aside at least 35 percent of total CRP acreage for continuous enrollment, which would “ensure that the most environmentally sensitive lands and cost-effective practices are prioritized.”

For information on FSA conservation programs, visit your local office or www.fsa.usda.gov