Troubled by farmers’ and landowners’ lack of enthusiasm for enrolling land in the Conservation Reserve Program, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will open enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with higher payment rates, new incentives, and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation.
Vilsack announced the changes at a meeting of the National Climate Task Force, and the White House in turn highlighted the announcement in a readout of the task force meeting. (For a broader look at the task force meeting, see top story.)
Vilsack also announced investments in partnerships to increase climate-smart agriculture, including $330 million in 85 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects and $25 million for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials.
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Apr 22, 2021 9:37 AM
United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will open enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with higher payment rates, new incentives, and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation. Additionally, USDA is announcing investments in partnerships to increase climate-smart agriculture, including $330 million in 85 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects and $25 million for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials. Secretary Vilsack made the announcement today at the White House National Climate Task Force meeting to demonstrate USDA’s commitment to putting American agriculture and forestry at the center of climate-smart solutions to address climate change.
USDA
Diverse plant communities attract many species of prairie wildlife in acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Additional 4 million acres targeted with higher rental rates and climate incentive payments.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced several changes to the Conservation Reserve Program to incentivize participation, including adjusting rental rates with a focus on highly erodible lands and introducing a variety of incentive payments, including a climate incentive payment.
Vilsack previously discussed how CRP participation was lacking from the funding allocated under the last farm bill. He hopes to bridge that shortfall by enrolling up to 4 million new acres in CRP by raising rental payment rates and expanding the number of incentivized environmental practices allowed under the program.
Pennsylvania agricultural producers and landowners can apply for technical and financial assistance to improve and enhance natural resources on their agricultural and forest land.
Funding is available through two new Regional Conservation Partnership Program projects administered by USDAâs Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The first application cutoff date for these new projects is May 14, and the second cutoff will be July 16.
One of the new projects is âAg BMP Implementation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershedâ and is offered in Berks County. This partnership project between NRCS and Berks County Conservation District is focused on implementing land management practices in the Upper Little Swatara and Conestoga Watersheds. Although these two watersheds will be prioritized, applications will be accepted from any eligible participant in Berks County.
The cap will gradually increase to 27 million acres by 2023. By
4/21/2021 The U.S. government is raising the number of acres eligible to be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and will pay farmers more to set aside that land. On Wednesday, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the goal is to enroll up to 4 million new acres in CRP by raising rental payment rates and expanding the number of incentivized environmental practices allowed under the program. CRP is one of the world’s largest voluntary conservation programs with a long track record of preserving topsoil, sequestering carbon, and reducing nitrogen runoff, as well providing healthy habitat for wildlife, according to the USDA’s press release.