CRP general sign-up is Aug. 2-27

The USDA has announced that a general sign-up for a 2010 Conservation Reserve Program began on Aug. 2 and will continue through Aug. 27. Farmers may offer eligible land for CRP's competitive general sign-up at the Vernon County Farm Service Agency office.

According to a press release from the FSA, CRP is a voluntary program that enables farmers to offer their environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits in exchange for annual rental payment of about $66 per acre on average and a payment of up to 50 percent of the cost of establishing conservation practices. Offered acres must be physically and legally capable of being planted and have been planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of six crop years for 2002-'07. Participants may enter into long-term contracts for 10 to 15 years.

Land currently not enrolled in CRP may be offered in this sign-up provided all eligibility requirements are met. Additionally, current CRP participants with contracts expiring this fall covering may make new contract offers. Contracts awarded under this sign-up are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2010.

The FSA will evaluate and rank eligible CRP offers using an Environmental Benefits Index point score which consists of the following environmental factors (wildlife, water, soil, air, cost and enduring benefits) and cost. Acreage is limited nationwide and decisions on the EBI cutoff level for eligibility will be made after sign-up ends and after analyzing the EBI data nationwide of all CRP offers.

Those who met previous CRP sign-up EBI thresholds are not guaranteed a contract under this sign-up. In addition to the general sign-up, CRP's continuous sign-up program for grass waterways, filter strips, wildlife habitat field buffers, etc, is still ongoing.

For more information visit http://www.fsa.

usda.gov/crp or www.fsa.usda.gov/psa.