The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers, who are complying with Federal and State laws, to protect environmentally sensitive cropland by planting trees, shrubs, grass, and other long-term cover types. This program is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and NRCS provides the technical land eligibility and conservation planning.
The CRP provides long-term conservation benefits that control soil erosion, improve water quality, increase soil health, and develop and enhance wildlife habitat. In return, participants receive an annual rental payment, and cost share assistance for 10 to 15 years.
The CRP was authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). The program is also governed by regulations published in 7 CFR, part 1410.
CRP Enrollment Authorities
There are several enrollment authorities under the CRP Umbrella. They include the General, Continuous and Grasslands CRP programs.
General CRP – Under this enrollment authority, producers can offer land only during announced enrollment periods.
Continuous CRP - Enrollment authority allows for environmentally sensitive land devoted to certain conservation practices to be enrolled. Under the continuous CRP program, producers can enroll at any time, and are not subject to competitive bidding.
Grasslands CRP – Assists landowners and operators to protect grasslands, including rangeland, and pastureland, while maintaining the areas as grazing lands.
Please contact the District Conservationist in the USDA Service Center nearest the location of your property or the FSA office that administers this land for assistance and information. The local FSA office administers the CRP sign-ups.
Expiring CRP
There are currently more than 1.4 million acres of cropland enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Montana. At the close of fiscal year 2017, nearly 400,000 of these contracted acres will expire, which impacts approximately 2,254 CRP contracts.
The 2014 Farm Bill capped CRP enrollment at 24 million acres nationwide, the lowest allotment since the inception of the program in the Food Security Act of 1985. The acre cap means many producers will not have the option to re-enroll acreage in CRP and will be faced with a monumental decision.
A partnership of federal and state agencies and resource groups held meetings during February and March to inform landowners of their options once the CRP contracts expire.
“This partnership wants to be proactive in working with landowners making important decisions for their operations and the land,” said Lisa Coverdale, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationist for Montana. “We’d like to help producers choose management options that preserve the resource benefits these CRP acres have accrued over the past 10 to 30 years.”
Montana Guide for Landowners with Expiring CRP
Contact
Kale Gullett
Montana NRCS CRP Program Manager,
State Resource Conservationist
Phone: 406-587-6998
Email: Kale.Gullett
