Future of CRP ?

remy3424 said:
That surprises me, the things one can learn here. Awesome.
***I just read about EQIP, it is designed for environmental benefits, not necessarily wildlife or production reduction. So I could see it not having some of the requirements other programs might have. Nice work sourcing that out McFarmer.
**I see the comment about alfalfa being treated the same as row crops, that is interesting. Not much hay ground around me to count.
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Our first piece enrolled was a pilot project, we have a very active NRCS here. The five year enrollment is confusing, in addition it can not be reenrolled. Kinda odd. Our first patch I didn’t see any seeding requirements so I put down some native grass thinking at the end of the 5 years it might go into CRP, if it didn’t I would use it as summer hay.

It got inspected the second year and the person showed me the requirement that it be seeded to cool season grasses, which was odd but it did specific that. So I went out with a no till drill and put in some orchard grass and that satisfied them. I think it was because of the short enrollment time.

Subsequent projects require native grasses. Five years is kind of a waste for native seedings when alfalfa/orchardgass will supply nearly the wildlife benefits. Mature alfalfa is good winter cover, lots of food also.

As a kid ditch hunting after school sweet clover patches were always productive, excellent cover. The DNR hates it however.

Regarding the web site : I see they haven’t scrubbed the “Historically Underserved” mention. The program is probably going to get the axe. I was surprised this one got in. If it was widely adopted it would have a positive effect on water quality.
 
I was told at the FSA office today they are once again accepting land into CRP, until the latest round of money is gone.
 
PF/QF sent out an email a day or so ago announcing a new general and continuous sign up period.

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May 12, 2025 – Washington, D.C. – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are thrilled to share the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has announced a new general and continuous signup period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) running from May 12-June 6, 2025.

“With 1.8 million acres available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year, we are very aware that we are bumping up against the statutory 27-million-acre statutory cap,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Now more than ever, it’s important that the acres offered by landowners and those approved by USDA address our most critical natural resource concerns. With the limited number of acres that we have available, we’re not necessarily looking for the most acres offered but instead prioritizing mindful conservation efforts to ensure we maximize the return on our investment from both a conservation and economic perspective.”
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Is this announcement a bit late? You have likely already planted or prepared to plant any acres that might qualify.
 
Signed the papers for next spring’s CRP seeding.

One change, and some folks here can maybe explain the reason for it, is that during the establishment year mowing is not a cost share eligible practice, but chemical spraying is.

Even when nearly all seeding mixes have forbs in them. When I asked why the person just shook their head.

Additionally there is a $250/acre machine allowance cost shared at 50%. Jebus, I couldn’t get that much into it if I rented everything new from John Deere.

Maybe DOGE knows, I certainly don’t.
 
McFarmer said:
Signed the papers for next spring’s CRP seeding.

One change, and some folks here can maybe explain the reason for it, is that during the establishment year mowing is not a cost share eligible practice, but chemical spraying is.

Even when nearly all seeding mixes have forbs in them. When I asked why the person just shook their head.

Additionally there is a $250/acre machine allowance cost shared at 50%. Jebus, I couldn’t get that much into it if I rented everything new from John Deere.

Maybe DOGE knows, I certainly don’t.
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My guess would be that they want to make sure all non native grasses are killed before you seed so the crp seed has the best chance it can.
 
GetTothePoint said:
My guess would be that they want to make sure all non native grasses are killed before you seed so the crp seed has the best chance it can.
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That’s a possibility I hadn’t considered. Maybe spraying before seeding instead of tillage.

The person explaining to me implied it was after seeding, they said “to control weeds”, but then they recommended mowing which would lead me to believe the usually twice mowing during the summer.

I will check back again with them for clarification. Possibly some confusion on everyone’s part.
 
We did a Round-up burn-down just days before have our CRP drilled. They won't let you spray something that kills the forbs, if you planted a mix containing them, unless it is a complete thistle jungle and they OK it in writing. It will be another slice of paradise in a few years....Iowa is losing more than they are gaining right now I am afraid. Keep it up McFarmer!
 
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I think it’s silly they’re not allowing mowing as a cost share for first year establishment practice. The NRCS told me to mow both of my CRP practices in the first year to help with broadleaf weeds mostly. Maybe it’s a bureaucratic issue where there’s so much variance or “abuse” in their eyes of hours, diesel costs, etc. that they just said to heck with it - let’s just not cost share that.

With just spraying for cost share, maybe people are enticed into only including limited forbs that are Plateau tolerant for example.

And then you mention the per acre machine allowance, and I’m with you. That’s very high.

But that’s great to hear your CRP is a go next spring. I appreciate everyone’s hard work with their CRP lands.
 
I think we had ours mowed 3 times that first year. Maybe at heights of 6" then 8-10" and and about a foot tall the last time. I do remember that the marestail stocks/stems were about a hazard to the dogs belly that season....they "pinked" him up pretty good.
 
remy3424 said:
I think we had ours mowed 3 times that first year. Maybe at heights of 6" then 8-10" and and about a foot tall the last time. I do remember that the marestail stocks/stems were about a hazard to the dogs belly that season....they "pinked" him up pretty good.
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Did the marsetail fade over the years in your CRP? Seeing some of that in my second year planting
 
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