National Association of Wheat Growers
Contact: Caitlin Eannello 240-423-4345 (Cell)
Today, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that it will hold a continuous signup period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) beginning June 3, 2019 and offer extensions for expiring CRP contracts. NAWG commends the Agency for recognizing the need to provide producers an option to extend contracts by allowing for one-year extensions to existing CRP participants who have expiring CRP contracts of 14 years or less.
“CRP is an important conservation program option for many of our members and we appreciate that FSA is proactively taking steps to allow for contract extensions. This action is especially important if FSA will not hold a general sign-up before contracts expire this year,” stated NAWG President and Lavon, TX farmer Ben Scholz. “We encourage USDA to move quickly implement the 2018 Farm Bill and to allow enrollment options for producers in all the conservation programs.”
Alternatively, producers with expiring contracts may have the option to enroll in the Transition Incentives Program which provides two additional annual rental payments on the condition the land is sold or rented to a beginning farmer or rancher or a member of a socially disadvantaged group.
“Growers are on their land everyday and know more than anyone else what it takes to be a good steward of their land,” continued Scholz. “Farm Bill conservation programs help farmers ensure that their land will be productive today, tomorrow and years to come.”
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