Agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) now through March 29.
This conservation opportunity gives producers tools to conserve wildlife habitat while achieving other conservation benefits, including sequestering carbon and improving water quality and soil health.
“The USDA has a long track record of fostering and supporting the vital relationship between agriculture and conservation,” says Wisconsin FSA Executive Director Gene Schriefer. “The Conservation Reserve Program helps our producers be good stewards of their lands and boost wildlife populations at the same time.”
CRP is one of the largest private land conservation programs in the United States. It offers a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers, and landowners. It has been an especially strong opportunity for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and support wildlife habitat.
Producers and landowners enrolled about 926,000 acres in General CRP in 2023, bringing the total of enrolled acres in General CRP to 7.78 million. This, combined with all other acres in CRP through other enrollment opportunities, such as Grassland and Continuous CRP, brings the current total of enrolled acres to 24.8 million.
Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before their deadlines: https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator