The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting offers for nearly 2.7 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners through this year’s Conservation Reserve Program Grassland signup.
Grasslands enrolled in CRP help sequester carbon in vegetation and soil, while enhancing resilience to drought and wildfire. Meanwhile, producers can still conduct common grazing practices, such as haying, mowing or harvesting seed from the enrolled land, which supports agricultural production.
“This year’s Grassland CRP signup demonstrates the continued success and value of investments in voluntary, producer-led, working lands conservation programs,” says Wisconsin FSA Executive Director Gene Schriefer. “Grassland CRP clearly demonstrates that conservation priorities and agricultural productivity not only have the capacity to coexist but also complement and enhance one another.”
Additionally, USDA has accepted more than 1 million acres through the General CRP signup nationwide, and more than 465,800 acres have been submitted through the Continuous CRP signup so far this year.
To target conservation in key geographies, USDA prioritizes land within two National Priority Zones: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and the Dust Bowl area. FSA accepted more than 911,000 acres in these two zones. Land enrolled in these zones will contribute to broader USDA conservation efforts through
Working Lands for Wildlife by conserving working grasslands and other lands that underpin iconic big game migrations.
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