CRP Going Forward.......

UGUIDE

UGUIDE

Active member
As many of you know the federal government is in budget crisis, CRP acres are expiring at a rapid rate due to low payments and high commodity prices.

These forces will likely cause a much needed change in the way CRP is deployed and how many acres are needed to adequately conserve precious resources like water, soil and wildlife.

I wrote an email to my local PF Farm Bill Biologist stating there should be a shift away from massive amounts of general signup acres to a more targeted approach to CRP deployment based on the high priority needs or highest resource concern. Invest in more CCRP program acres like CP-38, FWP and CP-37. He agreed but also stated what the government would do in the next 12-24 months regarding CRP is unknown.

Pheasant Fest is a great forum to get more info on the matter and also be a strong voice.

Just thought I would post this thread in hope of collecting more ideas from forum participants on what they would like to see in the next farm bill in regards to CRP specifically?
 
Man that grass awn is some nasty stuff and it can really rip a dog up. It's worse than barbed wire! That reminds me to go through my K-9 first aid kit for next season, knock on wood I didn't have to use it, but you always have to be prepared.
 
The reason I am so vocal about it is not because I am trying to be a jerk. I see the vast amount of CRP leaving us right now. So what goes in to replace it involves this stuf right now. It would be nice to see the few future acres put in with out such nasty stuf.
 
FCSpringer said:
The reason I am so vocal about it is not because I am trying to be a jerk. I see the vast amount of CRP leaving us right now. So what goes in to replace it involves this stuf right now. It would be nice to see the few future acres put in with out such nasty stuf.
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FCS it's an important issue and i will follow up with the PF biologists to see if this is on their radar at PF Fest.

My concern is we don't have any acres to plant grass on in the first place.
 
FCSpringer said:
I hear ya Chris. I have been looking around for trial grounds. Getting tougher.
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And this is unfortunately going to continue. After listening to Mark Miller (head of IDNR) talk about our DNR budget, the way it's looking you field trial guys may not have any state sites to use here in IL either within a year or two.

Illinois DNR has always been underfunded due to Chicago having it's way with the state, but now it's getting to a point where we're looking at a $22 million deficit within a year or so. If something doesn't change we stand to loose a lot of programs. Park closings will be inevitable too.

We (IL sportsmen) are going to start protesting this issue at the capital. Hopefully we can start a movement were our DNR gets noticed through out the state and it gets the funding it needs. I'll post more info on this once I know more.

You guys know it's getting bad when you can't even find a field to run dogs.
 
Sad. And this is the reason we now are going to the gov to push for a few public sites to use. The farm bill will never involve it self with this. But some conservation sure. But with farmers making money, It is sure to loose interest. The dollar speaks loud and clear.
 
My CRP expires in September. It is a whole field situation with annual food plots in the terrace channels. Ground should have never been farmed in the first place, but it was.

Watch tomorrow, February 1st, there might just be some news and, if so, I am hoping for good news for the birds(and Byrds)!
 
M. R. Byrd said:
My CRP expires in September. It is a whole field situation with annual food plots in the terrace channels. Ground should have never been farmed in the first place, but it was.

Watch tomorrow, February 1st, there might just be some news and, if so, I am hoping for good news for the birds(and Byrds)!
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Good luck, and I hope so Mr Byrd
 
M. R. Byrd said:
My CRP expires in September. It is a whole field situation with annual food plots in the terrace channels. Ground should have never been farmed in the first place, but it was.

Watch tomorrow, February 1st, there might just be some news and, if so, I am hoping for good news for the birds(and Byrds)!
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Dodge City Slicker, can you tell us more?

I have one of my camps owners with about 1000 acres expiring. We have a plan to keep it in habitat should a re-enroll not be possible. It would involve raising rates $100/gun, going to 4 day hunts and 5 nigh stays and bumping up minimum group sizes.

Of course hunters would grumble about all these thing but it would get the CRP income replaced on this ground which currently rents for about $28/acre.
 
UGUIDE said:
Dodge City Slicker, can you tell us more?

I have one of my camps owners with about 1000 acres expiring. We have a plan to keep it in habitat should a re-enroll not be possible. It would involve raising rates $100/gun, going to 4 day hunts and 5 nigh stays and bumping up minimum group sizes.

Of course hunters would grumble about all these thing but it would get the CRP income replaced on this ground which currently rents for about $28/acre.
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Here it is. Four week window beginning March 12th. Let's see what we can do.

http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/PressReleaseViewer.jsp?pressReleaseId=118322
 
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moellermd said:
So are you going to reapply or extend your current contract.
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How ever I can do it. I do want to add some shrub plantings, either a row in some of the terrace channels or thickets in the terrace channels. I want to add more forbs and legumes also.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
How ever I can do it. I do want to add some shrub plantings, either a row in some of the terrace channels or thickets in the terrace channels. I want to add more forbs and legumes also.
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" Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP"

Do you interpret this as an option to extend the CRP contract that is in place now but expiring this fall?

They don't really say they will have the option to extend expiring contracts.

Will find out more at the Fest for sure.
 
UGUIDE said:
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Will find out more at the Fest for sure.
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I plan to spend some time at the help desk. I will take maps of my current WHIP plans for trees and shrubs that will be planted this spring, since I doubt if they will be able to pull them up on the system. The rest should be on the system and we can discuss what could work best for the birds.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
I plan to spend some time at the help desk. I will take maps of my current WHIP plans for trees and shrubs that will be planted this spring, since I doubt if they will be able to pull them up on the system. The rest should be on the system and we can discuss what could work best for the birds.
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Maynard, good news. There were 2 press releases on PF's site and the other one had this comment which to me indicates a pretty chance a landowner can get there expiring CRP re-enrolled.

"Additionally, current CRP participants with contracts expiring this fall may make new contract offers. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever encourage landowners planning on letting their current CRP contracts expire to consider offering at least partial reenrollment of their acreage. This helps increase yields to their cropland, while maintaining water quality and wildlife benefits."

I would suspect with the prospects of corn prices going north again this summer that many farmers will not be interested in re-enrollments leaving options open for those that do.

Here is full release http://pheasantsforever.org/page/1/PressReleaseViewer.jsp?pressReleaseId=118323
 
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