Edward Hamill, executive director for Missouri Farm Service Agency, Columbia, announced Sept. 20 that USDA will accept a little more than 107,000 acres offered by Missouri landowners under the recent Conservation Reserve Program general signup.

According to Hamill, 98% of Missouri's general signup offers were accepted into the program. Missouri currently has 1.4 million acres enrolled in the CRP program with 152,000 acres expiring the end of September.

CRP is a voluntary program that assists farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers to use their environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolling in CRP plant long-term, vegetative covers, in exchange for rental payments, cost-share, and technical assistance. Participants voluntarily remove the land from agricultural production by entering into long-term contracts for 10 to 15 years.

CRP's 39th signup will bring the total enrollment in the program to 31.2 million acres, leaving sufficient room under the 32 million acre cap to continue enrollment in the CRP continuous signup and other CRP initiatives through FY 2011. Landowners are encouraged to visit their local county FSA office to learn more about the program.

FYI
Contact your local FSA county office, or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

 
 
Source: MU Cooperative Media Group