Future of CRP ?

To me it comes down to the good ole follow the money situation. Unfortunately there's just not that many bird hunters any more. Just look at hotels and diners and even more the upland sections at your big retailer's. When a kayak section is bigger than the upland section it tells me a lot. We're not out there in the numbers we'd like to think these days, sometimes it doesn't feel that way fighting for public ground but overall the tradition of bird hunting is dying in my opinion. And when the voice dies and the people that understand what crp does for wildlife dies so to speak its a dismal situation for conservation.
 
GetTothePoint said:
To me it comes down to the good ole follow the money situation. Unfortunately there's just not that many bird hunters any more. Just look at hotels and diners and even more the upland sections at your big retailer's. When a kayak section is bigger than the upland section it tells me a lot. We're not out there in the numbers we'd like to think these days, sometimes it doesn't feel that way fighting for public ground but overall the tradition of bird hunting is dying in my opinion. And when the voice dies and the people that understand what crp does for wildlife dies so to speak its a dismal situation for conservation.
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To add to this the big box stores cater more to deer hunters then us bird hunters. Deer guys take wildlife for granted as the whitetails thrive. Maybe the virus issue will create some interest in conservation on their side.
 
Where I am located in Texas the best thing for both farmers and birds would be a return to the programs of the 80’s. Growers had to plant 1/3 in grain sorghum, 1/3 in row crop (cotton in my area) and 1/3 in set aside. Do that and increase crp payments by 30-50% to get absentee landlords interested and I think bird hunting would be amazing if 2-3 years. Doubt it will happen but i am going to keep dreaming about that and winning the lottery. 🤷‍♂️
 
I talked to a farmer last week that is trying to get 50 acres into crp. He has been unsuccessful in getting any assistance for the last two years but let it go natural anyways for deer cover (absolutely full of pheasants). This coming spring he is going to till it up for corn
 
KEOutdoors said:
I talked to a farmer last week that is trying to get 50 acres into crp. He has been unsuccessful in getting any assistance for the last two years but let it go natural anyways for deer cover (absolutely full of pheasants). This coming spring he is going to till it up for corn
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The attention this program gets from usda and nrcs tells me everything I need to know of it's direction. Years back in our area of Kansas we had an active agent that tried to push enrollment, explain programs, and enforced maintenance on already existing crp. The last several years in our county/area I couldn't tell you who is running it or if anyone even is and I deal with both agencies regularly. The crp left in our area is a joke of cedars running rampant or full of sericia. 10 years ago those properties would have been fined.
 
Years ago we also had a neighbor down the road that was fined and reprimanded by the county for plowing too close to the road and not leaving the right of way alone. Now days if you pass another vehicle on the gravel you might have to both put your mirrors in to not hit corn stalks growing in the ditches.
 
KEOutdoors said:
I talked to a farmer last week that is trying to get 50 acres into crp. He has been unsuccessful in getting any assistance for the last two years but let it go natural anyways for deer cover (absolutely full of pheasants). This coming spring he is going to till it up for corn
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He may need to have it in production or attempt to farm it for at least 2 years to get it into a program. It would be a huge hit to take much out of production and have zero revenue...the county will still want their tax on it. The man is a true sport man and must have a pile more ground or in a good financial position...likely all three.
 
remy3424 said:
He may need to have it in production or attempt to farm it for at least 2 years to get it into a program. It would be a huge hit to take much out of production and have zero revenue...the county will still want their tax on it. The man is a true sport man and must have a pile more ground or in a good financial position...likely all three.
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He recently purchased this plot and it was already in some sort of CRP, they would not transfer any of the assistance to him with the purchase. Im sure im not wording it right, im not a farmer. He leases out the crop ground around it to pay the taxes/loan. Hes just a deer hunter, which is why I cannot pheasant hunt it.

Theres no more good cover for miles, when he tills that up for corn this spring the hundred birds in there will have to go to ditches or something where i am sure most will not make it. Right now its a sanctuary, soon to be gone. Its why our state is turning into a corn wasteland, landowners need the money especially with this economy if they have retired 20-30 years ago.
 
Of the farmers, landowners, employees of NRCS and FSA there are some, although not many in my association, that are truly beneficial to our wildlife. Most of my design assistance has come from Kansas Wildlife and Parks. As I plan additional acres devoted to CRP in the next few years, my first contact will be with KDWP. I have also sought, but not been successful, in obtaining any assistance from PF to date. My hope for the future of our wildlife is that the agencies, conservation organizations and farmers that can make a difference will work in harmony for that purpose. I, for one, will do what I can as long as I can.
 
I just always assumed that if land sold/transfered and it had a CRP contract on any of it, that it would transfer with the land...but it sounds like it is more just with that owner. I might have to ask about this. If that is the case, there might be something about needing to have ownership for 2 years....I seem to have forgot more than I know about these these matters.
 
From what I'm seeing, the buyer can continue with the contract or opt out. If they opt out, the seller has to pay any penalties.
@KEOutdoors your farmer's situation seems like it's more so due to ineptitude from the NRCS in keeping the land enrolled - I think it should be allowed technically.

You need to have ownership for 1 year before enrolling if it's not in CRP already. It has to have history of farming for 4 of the last 6 years if you're trying to get enrolled. After that 1 year, you have to meet an exception if you want to enroll it before 2 years, per Remy's point. However, if you have it farmed during the 1 year ownership year, that looks to be an exception.

CRP's 2-Year Rule​

  • Land Used for Farming:
    • To prevent abuse of the program, CRP generally excludes land acquired in the two years prior to the CRP signup period if the land was acquired for the primary purpose of enrolling it in CRP.

  • Exceptions to the 2-Year Rule​

    The restriction does not apply if:
    1. Inheritance:
      • If the land was inherited, the 2-year rule does not apply.
    2. Land Was Not Farmed by the New Owner:
      • If the new owner has not used the land for agricultural production during the two years after acquisition, it may still qualify for CRP.
    3. Acquisition Was Not Primarily for CRP:
      • If the land was acquired for legitimate agricultural or other non-CRP purposes, the FSA may waive this restriction.
    4. Other Hardship Exceptions:
      • The USDA may waive the 2-year restriction under special circumstances, such as financial hardship or land purchased to preserve conservation benefits.
 
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