Conservation Reserve Program Contracts May Be Renewed

January 14, 2002

Conservation Reserve Program contracts expiring this year may be extended for another year. Producers with contracts expiring on Sept. 30 have from today to May 31 to apply for the one-year extension. Some 30,000 CRP contracts are affected. The expiration affects 1.8 million acres now protected by the CRP. Local offices of USDA''s Farm Service Agency now are notifying eligible CRP participants of their option to modify and extend their CRP contracts.

The original contract with extension must not exceed 15 years, and the extension will not change participants' rental rates. All or a portion of the acreage under contract may be included in an extension, but no new acreage may be added. Obligations and responsibilities under the original contract continue to apply to contracts that are modified and extended.

USDA is not planning to offer a general CRP signup in fiscal year 2002. However, producers may continue to enroll relatively small, highly-desirable acreage, such as filter strips and riparian buffers, in the continuous CRP at any time at their local FSA office.

Producers enrolled in CRP receive rental payments and other financial incentives to remove lands from agricultural production for a period of 10 to 15 years. CRP participants plant native grasses, trees, and other vegetation to improve water quality, soil, and wildlife habitat. About 34 million acres are currently enrolled in CRP.

More information on the CRP program is available at local FSA offices or from the FSA web site at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/crp.htm.