CRP General Sign-Up Deadline is Today

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminds landowners, farmers and ranchers that the opportunity to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up ends today, Friday, April 15. Producers who want to offer eligible land for CRP's competitive general sign-up may enroll at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office where their farm records are maintained.

CRP is a voluntary program that assists farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers to protect their environmentally sensitive land. Through CRP, eligible landowners receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland. Land can be enrolled for a period of up to 15 years. Land currently not enrolled in CRP may be offered in this signup provided all eligibility requirements are met. Additionally, current CRP participants with contracts expiring this fall may make new contract offers. Contracts awarded under this signup are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2011. The general sign-up for CRP will not affect cropped acres for this growing season.

Additional information about CRP is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.