USDA to Extend Conservation Reserve Contracts

July 22, 2005

    July 22, 2005 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation announced on Monday that farmers and ranchers with certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts expiring this year may extend their contracts for one year.
    The extension option applies to CRP participants with contracts scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2005, and whose original contract with the extension, will not exceed 15 years. The extension potentially affects 7,000 contracts covering approximately 437,000 acres of land now protected by the CRP.
    The extension will not change participants? rental rates. All or a portion of the acreage under contract may be included in an extension, but no new acreage may be added.
    Local offices of USDA?s Farm Service Agency will notify eligible CRP participants of their option to modify and extend their CRP contract. The deadline to apply for this extension is Sept. 2, 2005.

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