WASHINGTON — A new general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) began Monday and will continue to Feb. 8, while signup for continuous CRP is ongoing.
Signed into law in 1985, CRP was primarily intended to control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production.
Since its establishment, CRP has prevented more than 9 billion tons of soil from eroding; reduced nitrogen and phosphorus runoff relative to annually tilled cropland by 95% and 85%, respectively; sequestered an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases; created more than 3 million acres of restored wetlands while protecting more than 175,000 stream miles with riparian forest and grass buffers; and benefited bees, other pollinators and increased populations of many varieties of birds.
To enroll in CRP, contact an FSA county office or visit fsa.usda.gov/crp.
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