Future of CRP ?

[remy3424]

I hope things come-together on your plan. Love pics as habitat is created. It really changes your thinking when you create the habitat that you hunt and know those birds wouldn't be there without the efforts you gave. A bit different that gaining permissions or rolling into a piece of public. Good luck!

 

[M. R. Byrd]

The most assistance I have ever gotten was back in the 80's from the Dodge City Chapter of Quail Unlimited. I don't know if the corruption at QU's headquarters was as bad as it was at the end, but the local chapter sure helped me and other farmers especially with cover crop seed. There was a lot of CRP going in and seed companies donated unsold milo seed for that use. It was blended varieties and not for crop production. I picked up a full pallet of seed for a number of us farmers to use for the required cover crop for warm season grass planting.
I do have good support from KDWP in wildlife habitat planning and occasionally a little seed. I have received cost share from NRCS for tree/shrub planting, weed barrier and drip tape. The tree planting contractor that I use buries the drip tape in the center of the row with the tree planter and uses root slurry. The water is turned on immediately and with the bare root seedlings directly over the drip tape, the planting gets off to a great start, especially in this semi-arid region. The negative of the drip line location is that if damaged, it is difficult to repair and really isn't useful past the first year or two. I found it worst where I planted fragrant sumac and the rodents seemed to love their roots and the tape and it was difficult to splice and repair. I ended up using a bunch of splices and extra drip tape above the ground to keep the water flowing. The contractor has a separate machine to lay the weed barrier over the top of the tree planting.
I have plans for additional tree/shrub planting in the next couple of years. I may have the contractor plant the trees/shrubs with no drip tape and I would roll drip tubing on the ground a foot off the center line of the row, then let the contractor install the weed barrier. The drip tubing is more expensive than the drip tape, but I could use it for a few years and help in times of drought.
I have my own Great Plains 3 Seed No Till drill so I plant my own grass rather than using a contractor for that.
I am hopeful that in the next two years as I get my ground ready to add more CRP grass and tree/shrub plantings that the program will be there and the rate will be favorable. A few years back I had acres expiring at $50/A and the renewal rate of $31/A for either a ten or fifteen year program. I turned it down, thinking what would $31 buy me in 15 years; a luncheon meal, a fancy coffee? I was able to get it back in two years later for $48/A on the continuous signup. All I know is that land prices are crazy, cash rents are high, taxes and inputs are high and the grain market is flat. That makes it difficult for me to lock in a long contract. I know the PF Farm Bill Biologists are pushing farmers to look at small, marginal, and other parcels that do not really add to the bottom line of their operation and possibly losing money to look at CRP for those acres. I suspect that will be addressed at the Pheasant Fest in KC. My experience in my area is that most of my farm neighbors don't think much about the wildlife other than when their family wants to get together in the fall to hunt.
I hope that CRP will continue and the wildlife will benefit because of it.

 

[remy3424]

Nice Maynard. The weed mat/fabric would have saved hundreds of hours trying to control the weeds in the first 3-4 years. Got lucky when we put in 1300 shrubs, had a couple rainy springs the first 2 years. They were a crap-ton of work, but now they are an awesome addition to the habitat. Even if the farm ever has to come out of the program, that hedgerow will not be going anywhere! Love creating habitat and seeing it being created....but it can't keep pace with what we are losing.

 

[GetTothePoint]

Go to the local banquet, find out who are the guys on the the habitat committee. Support them, spend money on the raffles, join the PF chapter at a sponsor level, the banquets are the big fund raiser that allows then to do everything they do. I think they will be willing to help if they have the funds.

No I understand how they raise funds, I'm more curious of the allocation and usage of them, particularly when it comes to private ground.

 

[remy3424]

GTTP I have to think they do way more private projects (food plots, shelter belts, etc) than public land projects. Each chapter controls their own funds, so it would vary. They will give money for acquisitions, but once the land is turned over to a government agency, that agency manages it. They might get manpower together to prepare the ground to be better habitat after the acquisition. Ask one of the board members your concerns at one of the local banquets, they will usually all have the same shirt on, so it is easy to find them. The banquet season is quickly approaching. You should be able to find a local chapter and maybe their banquet info on the national PF website. At the banquet, ask who their habitat guys are. They will likely already have a table set-up to talk to people about projects.

What question are you really asking?

 

[GetTothePoint]

GTTP I have to think they do way more private projects (food plots, shelter belts, etc) than public land projects. Each chapter controls their own funds, so it would vary. They will give money for acquisitions, but once the land is turned over to a government agency, that agency manages it. They might get manpower together to prepare the ground to be better habitat after the acquisition. Ask one of the board members your concerns at one of the local banquets, they will usually all have the same shirt on, so it is easy to find them. The banquet season is quickly approaching. You should be able to find a local chapter and maybe their banquet info on the national PF website. At the banquet, ask who their habitat guys are. They will likely already have a table set-up to talk to people about projects.

What question are you really asking?

I just like to know where the dollars go. I'll be the first to admit I quit donating to them for several years because I don't see where the dollars were going in Kansas. The last couple I have donated and this year they're into me for a chunk due to an auction deal at an FFA banquet. Where I am in Kansas I assume my dollars get pooled in to a broader cause, I'd just like to see those dollars going to something public I guess.

 

[Weimdogman]

I just like to know where the dollars go. I'll be the first to admit I quit donating to them for several years because I don't see where the dollars were going in Kansas. The last couple I have donated and this year they're into me for a chunk due to an auction deal at an FFA banquet. Where I am in Kansas I assume my dollars get pooled in to a broader cause, I'd just like to see those dollars going to something public I guess.

Look into P.F.s Build A Wildlife Area ( B.A.W.A. )

They had a big push last year for funding. Our group has contributed 30G over the last couple of years. Last year we spent nearly 60G on cover and food. Pollinator plots, food plots+seed for plots , tree belts , as well as equipment for planting the above.

There are currently a couple projects working in South Dakota. Our group is pushing hard for 1 more.

There a couple things to remember about PF .They can't own land. They need to spend the funds they raise. Our district guy is always telling us to spend more. We reply it's 100G to put on our banquet and we want to do another land purchase which would be our 6th.

We also did a deal with the state where we fronted money for a walkin area because the landowner needed to recieve funds immediately rather then the standard payment times.

 

[remy3424]

Weim, sounds like you have a very supported and active chapter. Well done!

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Here are some photos showing how I get tree and shrubs planted and going at the Ponderosa on a CRP contract. Plan to do some more in the next two years and hopefully there will be programs to help with cost share.

 

[remy3424]

I saw in SD they would plant the trees, then put the fabric mat down, they go back over, cut a slit and pull the tree through. Around here I "thought" they the machine that installs the fabric mot and then hand plant through the fabric. We used a pull-behind tree planter that you "rode-on" to plant shrubs/trees. The county conservation has the tree planter and rents it out for $50/day, if I remember right. You have to love established hedgerows!

 

[KsHusker]

I just like to know where the dollars go. I'll be the first to admit I quit donating to them for several years because I don't see where the dollars were going in Kansas. The last couple I have donated and this year they're into me for a chunk due to an auction deal at an FFA banquet. Where I am in Kansas I assume my dollars get pooled in to a broader cause, I'd just like to see those dollars going to something public I guess.

Remy has me on ignore since I can't stand what I believe is the corruption at PF -- It seems he works for PF or has been completely brainwashed by them -- but he can't stand it if you have an alternate point of view on PF. I'd love to sit down and have a civil discussion w him but that's who I am.

Anyways if you have questions -- you need to look at their financials -- their tax returns for various entities which you have to dig into is buried on their various websites -- they pay their execs very well, their board is token old rich whites and a woman or two unless it's changed in a year or two and most live near the HQ and when you study them they seem to have very little to do with hunting.

Not to mention their day to day execs IMO leach off their projects for hunting access (A friend that is a land manager in KS and manages properties for uber wealthy people that have navigated various programs such as easements, PF money, playa funds etc has been plagued by them when they want to come hunting in KS. Complete pains in the arse for him to deal with as they offer little to no value.

Anyways as far as I'm concerned most of their projects and anything available to the public is open more near their HQ -- somewhere they had a map of projects they funded and which ones are open to the public....in KS the access is near zero -- I even remember an article in the Wichita Eagle of a person that donated an entire section of land to PF in primo pheasant area of KS -- PF never enrolled it in WIHA --- and then later sold it to enrich themselves.

As much as I hate to say it - in our state if you live in KS DU and Nature Conservancy do more for upland birds than PF ever would dream of.

As the saying goes - follow the money -- I love financial statements and would be glad to walk you through what I consider corruption and how they could do so much better.

As anything, most non profits purely exist for tax loopholes of those running them and most of their overhead goes to paying staff, the c suite, their offices, private jet if they have one etc -- a lot of the money never makes it to the purpose they claim they exist for.

 

[KsHusker]

Look into P.F.s Build A Wildlife Area ( B.A.W.A. )

There a couple things to remember about PF .They can't own land. They need to spend the funds they raise. Our district guy is always telling us to spend more. We reply it's 100G to put on our banquet and we want to do another land purchase which would be our 6th.

We also did a deal with the state where we fronted money for a walkin area because the landowner needed to recieve funds immediately rather then the standard payment times.

THIS IS FALSE -- if you do some digging on their tax returns and their various entities they control - they have one arm that can and does own real estate. Did someone at PF tell you this or do you have their corporate bylaws available that explicitly prohibits them from owning land.

I've seen transactions where DU and both PF have gotten control of land and sell it to pocket the money --

Nature conservancy even though I do not fully believe they are 100% a friend of the hunter will at least hold land, manage it and in some areas allow hunting -- though they do not often. In KS it has been far and few between anything they have has gotten signed up for WIHA or if it does it was for a super short time window. (IE maybe for a season or two and never again after that)

As a hunter I'd pour money into an org that supported hunting access on lands that actually supported wildlife instead of the hayed or dirt fields KS likes to enroll.

 

[M. R. Byrd]

I saw in SD they would plant the trees, then put the fabric mat down, they go back over, cut a slit and pull the tree through. Around here I "thought" they the machine that installs the fabric mot and then hand plant through the fabric. We used a pull-behind tree planter that you "rode-on" to plant shrubs/trees. The county conservation has the tree planter and rents it out for $50/day, if I remember right. You have to love established hedgerows!

I have the water hydrant ready at the tree row with regulator and filter. The first operation is to plant the trees with the tree planter and the drip tape is laid with the planter in that operation. Now the drip tape is hooked to the water and water is let run until it comes out the other end and then the end of the tape is capped and the water left on and soaking the row. Now the fabric machine comes through. The man riding on the machine has a utility knife and when he sees a tree raising the fabric he lowers his knife and a slit is cut about the tree. Next come the guys reaching through the slits and pulling the trees through. My plantings with this contractor have been very successful. I do rototill where the rows go. The biggest benefit I see is that the fabric machine has tilled soil to roll over the edges of the weed fabric.

 

[Weimdogman]

THIS IS FALSE -- if you do some digging on their tax returns and their various entities they control - they have one arm that can and does own real estate. Did someone at PF tell you this or do you have their corporate bylaws available that explicitly prohibits them from owning land.

I've seen transactions where DU and both PF have gotten control of land and sell it to pocket the money --

OK so chapter bylaws state we can not own land. We can purchase land and donate it or sell it. We have bought land and sold it because the state will not buy land other then in a private transaction and the price can not exceed 85% of appraised value.

So you are correct PF has sold land. I know DU will buy land and restore wetlands and grass for nesting. They will also sell that land after restoration often with restrictions/ easement. Or they.may sell the land to the state at the less then 85% of appraised value.

 

[remy3424]

These groups don't want to own the ground with the land acquisitions, they want to create habitat and protect it into the future for the public.
This is why they are supported by all sportsman/conservationists who are looking into the future. Where else will more public access acres come from?

 

[gim]

Where else will more public access acres come from?

I'm not sure about Iowa, but in Minnesota, part of our license sales go to the acquisition of public land for use by the public. So the simple act of buying a hunting license goes to that cause.

 

[McFarmer]

I'm not sure about Iowa, but in Minnesota, part of our license sales go to the acquisition of public land for use by the public. So the simple act of buying a hunting license goes to that cause.

I believe the Iowa legislature has tried to limit the ability of the DNR to purchase land.

 

[remy3424]

Here is an article regarding limiting the Iowa DNR purchasing more land. I will guess some guy thought he would be buying a parcel for himself and PF, DU or a combination of groups bought it. Glad it was not successful, I remember emailing our law-makers against that short-sighted measure. Seems someone with some influence would have been needed to get it as far as it got.

Iowa DNR would be barred from bidding on land at auction under bill advancing in Iowa

Conservation groups oppose the bill, saying Iowans want more public lands. Republican supporters of the bill say it simply codifies current DNR policy.

www.desmoinesregister.com

 

[Bob Peters]

My understanding is that pheasants forever can only own land in a trust. So if a parcel is bought, often by multiple groups i.e. PF, DU, local Sportsman's clubs, private individuals, they all pool money together, buy the parcel, PF holds it in trust for a limited time (seems 3-5 yrs is common). The habitat is improved and the land is given to the state dnr to become wma or other form of public hunting.

 

[Swampstink]

I'm not sure about Iowa, but in Minnesota, part of our license sales go to the acquisition of public land for use by the public. So the simple act of buying a hunting license goes to that cause.

We also have the lottery funds ie; LCMR but the spending seems to not be focused on acquisition these days which is disappointing Upland hunting has become a largely public assess game IMO and we have heavier pressure. As farms get larger and less family owned the hunters are getting pushed off and onto public. Walk on was better this year but we have a ways to go!