Producers urged to carefully consider CRP break-out options

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by nevonnemcdaniels in Shop Talk

After years of harvesting environmental and wildlife benefits from their land, many Washington growers will soon face decisions about what to harvest next from their Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.

More than 90,000 contracted acres will expire in 2010, while nearly 175,000 acres will expire in 2011.

Due to planting and preparation schedules, land treatment decisions are quickly approaching for many producers, but conservationists with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are urging Washington’s growers to carefully consider all of their options before converting CRP acres back into production.

NRCS State Conservationist Roylene Rides at the Door encourages producers who plan to plant crops on previously idle land to contact their local NRCS office — and develop a comprehensive conservation plan in order to utilize techniques and practices that are proven to protect natural resources and maintain soil health.

“Some CRP land might have been out of crop production for 20 years,” Rides at the Door said. “During that time the soil quality has improved, erosion has been reduced, and water quality has been protected. Without proper conservation, those 10 or 20 years of progress could be undone in as little as one year,” she said.

Through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), NRCS is providing special funding to help producers with expiring CRP contracts protect their land. The deadline to apply for these funds for 2010 is Dec. 31, 2009.

“Funding will be available for the use of direct seed or mulch tillage seeding systems, conservation crop rotation, nutrient and pest management and certain buffer practices,” NRCS Asst. State Conservationist Dave Brown said. “The crop rotation practice will include a one-time payment for participants who choose to forego a crop the first year after CRP. Funds will also be available for those who want to use these acres for grazing. This will include practices such as fencing, water developments and prescribed grazing.”

Washington has more than 1.4 million acres enrolled in CRP, a program administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Brown said producers who choose to convert CRP acreage to cropland may also consider enrolling the most erosive portions of fields in the Continuous CRP program.

“Grazing systems may also be a good alternative for some landowners because they typically have less impact on the environment than cropping systems and can help maintain the wildlife benefits that many people have come to appreciate about their CRP acreage,” Brown said.

A well-managed grazing enterprise can compete economically with crop production on many Washington farms.

“Of course, keeping land in permanent vegetation is the best way to protect natural resources and maintain recreational benefits,” Brown said. “But if landowners decide that it’s best for them to convert the grassland to crops, we encourage converting in ways that will have the least negative impact on the environment.”

By developing a comprehensive conservation plan and by utilizing conservation tillage, crop rotations and other time-tested conservation measures, Brown said Washington’s farmers can produce crops and still maintain soil and water resources at a sustainable level.

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