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Farm Program Deadline Approaching
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By Kent Thiesse Farm management analyst kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced a sign-up period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 2023 that will extend from Feb. 27 through April 7 at local FSA offices. The current CRP sign-up period will be for renewing existing CRP contracts and adding farmland acres into the General CRP program. Landowners can sign-up for the Continuous CRP program throughout the year, and the sign-up period for the Grassland CRP program will be announced by the USDA at a later date. The CRP program is offered on a voluntary basis through the USDA. The CRP program can be used as a tool by landowners and the agricultural community to invest in the longterm protection and well-being of their land and natural resources.
The CRP program has a long history of promoting conservation practices and farmland stewardship in the United States. The CRP program was established in December of 1985 as part of the 1985 farm bill and has remained part of every farm bill since that time. The maximum acreage and primary goals of the CRP program have changed over the years; however, the CRP program has been a centerpiece of the Conservation Title every time a new farm bill has been written. There may be some adjustments to the CRP program; however, CRP will likely remain a key component of the Conservation Title when the next farm bill is completed later this year or beyond.
There are three different CRP programs that agricultural producers and landowners can enroll in:
• General CRP — The General CRP program has only been altered slightly since the CRP program was initiated in 1985. The goal of the General CRP program is to offer producers and landowners the opportunity to put larger land parcels into a 10-year or 15-year CRP contract, and in return receive an annual rental payment from the USDA for the acres of tillable farmland that are enrolled into CRP. The CRP acres are usually seeded
