|
|
|
USDA unveils new conservation incentivesAdditional incentives for bottomland hardwood and wetlands in CRP Kansas USDA Farm Service Agency has announced that additional payment incentives are being provided through the Conservation Reserve Program to agricultural producers to encourage enhanced wetland and bottomland hardwood conservation. Included are practice, signing and soil rental rate incentives. The 2008 farm bill provides $25 billion to help states, communities, farmers and ranchers practice conservation. Those USDA conservation programs help reduce nutrient runoff, control erosion and sedimentation, protect and restore wetlands, enhance wildlife habitat, sequester carbon, improve air quality, manage livestock waste, and preserve farm and ranch land. USDA estimates that in 2007, CRP in the Mississippi River Basin reduced nitrogen runoff by 295 million pounds, reduced phosphorus runoff by 66 million pounds and reduced sedimentation by 100 million tons. In addition, the program practices protected and restored 1.2 million acres of wetlands, sequestered 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and enhanced wildlife habitat for migratory waterfowl and other important wildlife species such as the Louisiana black bear. Wetlands conservation is a prominent feature of the CRP. The CRP includes general sign up, continuous sign up, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Farmable Wetlands Program. These initiatives target wetland restoration and bottomland timber establishment. Incentives are being added to encourage additional producer interest in these initiatives and are available for the CP23 Flood-plain Wetlands Restoration, CP23A Non-floodplain Wetlands Restoration, CP31 Bottomland Timber Establishment on Wetlands, and CP37 Duck Nesting Habitat practices. FSA county offices take offers for these CRP practices on a continuous signup basis, and the offers are automatically accepted provided the acreage and producer meet certain eligibility requirements. Under CRP, farmers and ranchers enroll eligible land in 10- to 15-year contracts with the CCC. FSA administers CRP on behalf of CCC. Participants plant appropriate cover such as grasses and trees in crop fields and along water bodies. These plantings help prevent soil and nutrients from running into regional waterways and affecting water quality. In addition to conserving soil and protecting water quality, the long-term vegetative cover also enhances wildlife habitat. It is estimated that CRP created habitat that led to a 30 percent increase in duck production in the prairie pothole region of the country. CRP participants receive annual rental payments--generally based on weighted average dry-land cash rent and practice maintenance--plus up to 50 percent cost share to establish and manage conservation practices on the enrolled land. In addition, CRP participants restoring wetlands, establishing bottomland hardwood forests and creating duck nesting habitat can now receive a practice incentive payment equal to 40 percent of the cost of installing the practice. A signing incentive payment of $100 per acre is made after the contract is approved. A soil rental rate incentive equal to 20 percent of the weighted average soil rental rate will be added to the annual rental payment. 11/10/08 Date: 11/6/08 Advertisement
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2009. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
Market Snapshot Inside Futures |
