What is the source of your information, sir? Not saying it isn't so in your particular county - but how is it that you came to know that a large and growing amount of CRP money has been left on the table in your county? Even more to the point, how much have you - personally - withdrawn from the CRP program because the payments (computed, as I understand it, at average dry land farm rental rates for your individual state) weren't sufficient to compete with alternate uses? Your analysis overlooks a very significant point. Today, you can collect CRP funds and opt not to also accept the headaches that go with a small additive amount of IHAP funding. And that is very cool for you. However, if CRP funding without public access ceases to be an option - you might reconsider. Active farmers and businessmen, for the most part, would.
I understand your point of view. You don't much care for the notion of a taxpayer quid-pro-quo in return for your not farming unproductive or environmentally ill suited ground that you already own. One might say you have a dog in that fight - a big one. But I think that it would be fair to say that the tax paying, hunting community also has a stake in this. They pay for the CRP that we then lease out to them for hunting. Correct?
OK, In my limited observations driving 100s of miles in my local rural area, I have not seen a new field of CRP since 2016 enrollments...this is my source, just personal observation. Share with everyone the number of newly enrolled acres this past year (I am not sure there were any programs available other than filter strips between 2016 and 2019 or 2020). This number will be a fraction of the acres that enrolled in 2015/2016. If the enrollments were happening rapidly, the program would be closed, they only accept a limited number of acres (or funds for the contracts).
There isn't much coming out because they were very few acres in CRP prior to this, most were just filter strips, I couldn't point out one that wasn't next-to/surrounding a water-shed. It will be 2025/2026 and 2030/2031 when the current CRP contracts expire (depending if they were 10 or 15 year contracts)...and it is anyones guess if there will be a program to keep those acres out of production when that time comes. We are just seeing (last year) the huge bounty of birds from the current CRP enrollments. I personal think that is pretty exciting!
One thing you could call me out on is the payment for allowing the public hunting (IHAP), I am just ASSUMING there is an addition incentive, can anyone confirm this and if so, the amount of that incentive?...I am just curious. As few IHAPs as there are, maybe that is just voluntary.
The quid-pro-quo, so in exchange for not farming the ground and producing a crop to market, the farmer will continue to pay property taxes do the required maintenance on these acres per the contract and the governement will pay/reimburse the owner at the agreed contract rate. Oh and now you want to add that they will also be required to allow the public to hunt anything legal to hunt on these said acres. Guessing that that won't be too popular if new contracts include that.
Are you the same fella that slams PF at every opportunity and now CPR....if so, it's like you are anti-pheasant.
My last post in this thread.