"Producers looking for ways to enhance their land for wildlife should take a close look at the Farmable Wetlands Program, especially with the new options approved in the 2008 Farm Bill," says Jeff Vonk, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. "Landowners in the northeastern part of the state may find it particularly appealing because overflow prairie wetlands are now included in the program."

The FWP offers producers significant enrollment incentives, including a Signing Incentive Payment of $100 per acre to enroll land, a Practice Incentive of 40% of the cost to establish the practice, 50% cost-share, and a rental rate equaling 120% of the soil rental rate.

To be eligible for enrollment in the new FWP, land must fall into one of four categories:

The maximum enrollment for the FWP shall not exceed 40 acres for wetlands or constructed wetlands, 20 acres for overflow prairie wetlands and enrollments of wetlands; buffers shall not exceed 200 acres per tract.

"The FWP is a very useful tool for producers to manage small, scattered wetlands on their land," says South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Bill Even. "It gives farmers and ranchers another option for managing their operations."

To enroll contact your local Farm Service Agency Office (FSA) or see www.fsa.usda.gov.

Source: South Dakota Department of Agriculture