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Agency reserve payments begin
RICHMOND - Jacquelin Easter, state executive director for USDA's Farm Service Agency in Virginia today announced that USDA will begin issuing $3,760,264 in Conservation Reserve Program payments to eligible producers in Virginia. More than $1.8 billion in CRP payments are being made on 36.2 million acres across the country.
"The Conservation Reserve Program works cooperatively with America's farmers and ranchers to conserve and preserve the soil and water that we, and numerous wildlife species, depend on for survival," said Easter. "These payments represent an investment in the nation's land that will pay dividends in the form of a cleaner environment today and for our grandchildren."
The payments are annual rental payments earned on the 69,573 acres enrolled in fiscal year 2007 in the CRP, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Continuous Sign-Up Program. Producers holding 5,183 contracts on 4,024 farms will receive an average of $934 per farm or $54.05 per acre. The number of contracts is higher than the number of farms because producers may have multiple contracts on a single farm.
Other CRP payments are made throughout the year, including a 50-percent reimbursement of expenses for establishing cover and incentive payments for enrolling eligible conservation practices, such as wetland restorations and conservation buffers. In fiscal year 2008, these payments are anticipated to total about $195 million across the nation.
This voluntary program helps agricultural producers safeguard environmentally sensitive land. Producers enroll in CRP and plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve water quality, control soil erosion and enhance habitats for waterfowl and wildlife. In return, USDA provides producers with rental payments. CRP contract duration is from 10 to 15 years.
Eligible land includes cropland and pastureland that either contributes to a serious water quality problem, provides important wildlife habitat, is highly erodible or provides substantial environmental benefits if devoted to specific conservation uses.
For more information on CRP, contact the local Farm Service Agency office or visit FSA's Web site at www.fsa.usda.gov.
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