Posted On January 27, 2021
Agricultural producers and private landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program can sign up for the popular program. The annual enrollment period began Monday and continues until Feb. 12.
The competitive program, administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provides annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes.
“This signup for the Conservation Reserve Program gives producers and landowners an opportunity to enroll for the first time or continue their participation for another term,” Nivin A. Elgohary said. “This program encourages conservation on sensitive lands or low-yielding acres, which provides tremendous benefits for stewardship of our natural resources and wildlife.”
IDNR Announces 2021 Habitat Fund Project Grants
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today announced the approval of $958,096 in grants for seven wildlife habitat projects through the Illinois Habitat Fund Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program.
The program provides for enhancing game and non-game wildlife habitat through projects developed by not-for-profit organizations and governmental entities. Funding for the Illinois Habitat Fund Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program comes from the sale of Habitat Stamps.
The Illinois Habitat Fund Advisory Committee approved $958,096 in funding for the seven projects outlined below:
• Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) Braidwood Dunes, Savanna Nature Preserve, Sand Ridge Savanna NP and Kankakee Sands – This project will fund habitat restoration activities such as controlling nonnative invasive species to create large blocks of contiguous prairie and remnant savanna. Partner organizati
(SPRINGFIELD) The Conservation Reserve Program sign up is continuing now through February 12, for the next two weeks. Landowners must contact their lo.
for The Fence Post
Steve Poet is an agricultural education teacher at the High Plains High School in Seibert, Colo. Although he has been working with kids for 20 years, this will be his fifth year at High Plains High School. Poet grew up in a rural setting himself, and with years of experience he has developed quite the green thumb. With that being said, in just five short years, Poet has helped his students to build an impressive garden and greenhouse that has become an admired and valued piece to their small community.
The High Plains High School was recently built on a 10-acre plot of retired Conservation Reserve Program ground. Because the school had plenty of extra land, Poet was able to utilize this ground to build a garden and greenhouse for his students. The greenhouse itself is 60 by 72 feet and their sizable garden lays right next to the greenhouse at 100 by 72 feet. Every year the high school ag students plant a variety of nearly 20 different fruits and vegetables and th
Photo credit: USDA The USDA is making available $12 million for use in making payments to forest landowners with land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in exchange for their implementing healthy forest management practices. Existing CRP participants can now sign up for the Forest Management Incentive (FMI), which provides financial incentives to landowners with land in CRP to encourage proper tree thinning and other practices. “We are offering CRP landowners an opportunity to use forestry practices for a more targeted approach to improve forest health and wildlife habitat on their land,” said Richard Fordyce, administrator for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “The Forest Management Incentive enables landowners to maximize the conservation outcomes on their land, such as supporting wildlife, conserving soil, and improving water quality.”