MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jack Salava, acting state executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Kansas has announced that approximately 118,416 general signup acres expiring on Sept. 30 will be eligible to offer for a three or five year extension under the Conservation Reserve Program.
CRP protects millions of acres of American topsoil from erosion and is designed to safeguard the Nation’s natural resources.
There are approximately 3.9 million acres expiring nationwide in CRP on Sept. 30 with 100,000 acres under the continuous signup.
To stay within the statutory CRP acreage limitation of 32 million acres, USDA will only be able to extend 1.5 million acres nationwide.
Kansas has approximately 425,120 acres expiring this year from General Signups 15 and 18.
An additional 10,786 acres are expiring from continuous CRP signups. Acres expiring in the continuous signups will not be offered extensions because they can enroll a new contract in the continuous signup.
Those participants with acres expiring this year shall discuss their options with their local FSA county office. Options include:
Three or five Year Extension for General Signup Acres Expiring Sept. 30.
• The top 30 percent of the Environmental Benefits Index scores and Erodibility Index of 15 or greater for General Signups 15 and 18 will be allowed to offer the acreage for a three or five-year extension. Total contract years cannot exceed 15.
• Approximately 118,416 acres in Kansas or 27.9 percent of the general signup contracts are offered extensions.
• All or a portion of the acreage can be offered for extension. No new acreage may be added to the contract.
• Participants that meet these criteria will receive a letter from the FSA county office after May 15 as notification that they may offer their expiring CRP acres for extension.
• Offers must be requested on a CRP-1F Addendum during the signup period of May 18 to June 30. All eligible participants must sign the CRP-1F Addendum agreeing to the extension.
• The same soil rental rate on the original contract will apply to the extended contract.
• Participants that make an offer of extension on the CRP-1F Addendum may cancel the agreement before Sept. 30 without any penalty.
• A modified Conservation Plan of Operations will be required.
• Participants offering the acreage for extension who perform early land preparation after submitting the offer will void the extension and may be considered to be in violation of the contract.
Continuous Signup Acres Expiring Sept. 30
• Approximately 10,786 acres enrolled in the continuous CRP signup are expiring this year.
• Those participants will receive a letter from the FSA county office.
• These acres may be re-enrolled in a continuous signup. Continuous CRP practices include riparian forest buffers, filter strips, grass waterways, Playa Lakes, and wildlife habitat buffers, which provide important environmental benefits. Continuous CRP signup contracts are 10-15 years long and pay an enhanced rental rate.
General Signup Acres Expiring Sept. 30 and Not Eligible for Extension
• Those expiring acres that were not in the top 30 percent of the EBI scores or an EI of 15 or greater in a general signup are not eligible to offer the contract for extension. This is approximately 306,704 acres in Kansas.
• Will receive a letter from the Kansas City FSA Office notifying that the contract will expire Sept 30. This letter will not offer an extension. • May offer the land for re-enrollment under the continuous signup, provided the land meets the eligibility criteria. Continuous CRP practices include riparian forest buffers, filter strips, grass waterways, Playa Lakes, and wildlife habitat buffers, which provide important environmental benefits. Continuous CRP signup contracts are 10-15 years long and pay an enhanced rental rate.
• Leave the land in the conservation cover and try to re-enroll in a later general signup.
• Leave the land in the conservation cover and incorporate the cover as pasture or hay land to utilize the forage.
• If not wanting to re-enroll in continuous or a general signup, then you may begin early land preparation beginning July 1, or May 1 for arid areas, on the acreage to prepare a seedbed for fall seeded crops. Remember if you conduct early land preparation, you are not eligible to enroll in a future general signup or in a continuous signup.
Contact your local FSA county office for additional details about expiring CRP acres. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
Pratt, Kan. —
