Beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers interested in enrolling their working grasslands in the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) may submit their applications.
“This is another great example of how agricultural production can work hand in hand with efforts to improve the environment and increase wildlife habitat,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release.
According to USDA, 400 million acres and 600,000 producers and landowners are currently enrolled in the department’s conservation programs.
The CRP-Grasslands program, administered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides participants with annual rental payments of up to 75 percent of their lands’ grazing value.
Participants must agree to use long-term conservation practices on their grasslands, such as cross fencing to support rotational grazing or improving pasture cover to benefit pollinators or other wildlife, Agri-Pulse reports.
Starting Sept.1, applications for enrollment in the program may be submitted. They will be ranked and selected based on Environmental Benefit Index scores.