The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently conducted the first opportunity for enrollment of lands in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) under a general sign-up since 2006. There were more than 50,000 offers from landowners on 4.8 million acres. USDA accepted offers on 4.3 million acres for enrollment into the program. This will keep the acreage enrolled in CRP at 31.2 million acres, close to the statutory cap of 32 million acres established in the 2008 Farm Bill, according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

As reported several months ago (August ONB), USDA expected enrollment of more than 4 million acres in the program as a result of this sign-up, at a time when contracts on 4.45 million acres were expiring. The strong demand for re-enrollment was expected in part if not mainly because USDA updated soil rental rates since the 2006 sign-up. In most cases, that has meant increased payments to existing program participants and attractive payments to qualifying landowners not previously enrolled. Contracts awarded during this enrollment period went into effect on October 1, 2010.

The 800,000 acre gap between current participation and the 32-million acre cap will leave room for enrollment of lands in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program CREP), which allows for sign-up on a continuous basis. State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE-CP38) and Upland Bird Habitat Buffers (CP33) provide significant wildlife habitat and are administered through CREP.

USDA selected lands for enrollment in the recent general sign-up based on scores on an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) plus cost. The EBI rates the conservation value of removing the various tracts that were offered for enrollment from agricultural production based on five environmental factors: (1) wildlife enhancement, (2) water quality, (3) soil erosion, (4) enduring benefits, and (5) air quality. The average rental rate for lands accepted into the program was $46 per acre.

The enrollment and re-enrollment of CRP lands are fortunate for grassland-dependent wildlife not only because of the acreage that expired by September 30, but also because it provides encouragement for contracts on an additional 16 million acres set to expire between 2011 and 2014. ?(pmr)