USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program General Signup for 2024

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program General Signup for 2024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the opening of sign-ups for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) from March 4 to March 29, 2024.

This program aims to help agricultural producers and private landowners conserve wildlife habitat, sequester carbon, improve water quality, and enhance soil health.

The recent extension of the 2018 Farm Bill allows CRP and other authorized programs to continue operating until September 30, 2024. CRP offers various conservation options, particularly benefiting farmers with less productive cropland. In 2023, about 926,000 acres were enrolled in the General CRP, bringing the total enrolled acres to 24.8 million across all CRP opportunities. General CRP assists in establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species to control soil erosion, improve water quality, and support wildlife habitat.

Other CRP options include Continuous CRP signup and financial assistance through the Forest Management Incentive (FMI). The Transition Incentives Program (TIP) incentivizes producers with expiring CRP acres to sell or lease to beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Interested landowners and producers should contact their local USDA Service Center for more information or to apply for the program.

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