For anyone interested in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) general signups will begin May 20th and end on June 14th this year. There are also a host of continuous CRP signups that should be open soon as well. If anyone is not familiar with the program and is or knows someone that is an agricultural landowner who may be interested in receiving money to plant wildlife habitat (as well as sign on incentives in some cases and yearly rental payments), I would really consider doing some research and possibly signing up. If anyone has any questions about different programs or signups, let me know and I will see if I can help. It really is an awesome opportunity to create wildlife habitat. At the rate of habitat loss we are currently at (burning and pushed out woodlands and fence rows in ag country) we need all the habitat we can get. All of our land is in CRP and I have immensely enjoyed it.
CRP Signups
- Thread starter LonewolfNopack
- Start date
rgecko23
*Supporting Member*
What's the monetary difference between leasing as farmland and going CRP? One of the farms I hunt the landowner is a widow and always talks about turning the farm into a wildlife habitat.... But the farm lease pays the taxes for her....
Depends on the soil type and what program you are in. The Farm Service Agency who administers the CRP program, has preset "average" rental rates depending on the soil type of the ground that is going into CRP. Better soils will pay more. Also, some programs pay double the average rental rate, but they are only in certain priority counties and the acreage allocation on them in pretty much full. It is hard to say if a farmer could pay her more, with the price of crops skyrocketing last year, I would say that he probably could. Many counties have increased their rental payments recently though to try to keep up with crop prices. But for many people in CRP, it is not all about the money. Also, it is a constant payment that you know will be there for you with not many variables involved once you are in. It really is a great program, these native warm season grass fields are a huge production area and nursery for a host of different wildlife species. Even if you just do 30 foot borders around a crop field, you will see more wildlife. Also a great area to hang a stand. All 3 of my bucks the past 3 years have came from the same CRP ground.
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I would have loved to put my 40 acres of tillable ground into CRP but was denied for lack of crop history. I believe you must have proven, recorded crop history for (5 out of the last 7 years) or maybe it (3 out of 5). Anyways, I have always related big bucks to CRP. It seem any time you get a large CRP field, the big bucks are not far way.
The rates in my area, from what I have seen are not as high as row crop cash renting but still good. Many locals get $160 acre for farm rent and CRP ground is $100. IMO, for what CRP does for adding cover and natural browse to a property......its a slam dunk.
Also, just as a little more info. CRP allows you to plant 1% of your total CRP ground for wildlife enhancement such as food plots!
The rates in my area, from what I have seen are not as high as row crop cash renting but still good. Many locals get $160 acre for farm rent and CRP ground is $100. IMO, for what CRP does for adding cover and natural browse to a property......its a slam dunk.
Also, just as a little more info. CRP allows you to plant 1% of your total CRP ground for wildlife enhancement such as food plots!
CRP is much lower paying than the potential from actual harvest if you farm it. Even renting the land is still way more profitable. The only land that anyone usually wants in CRP anymore is something that needs tiled or has other issues.
The CRP programs have been slashed compared to years past and you more than likely will not be accepted.
The CRP programs have been slashed compared to years past and you more than likely will not be accepted.
Yes farming land yourself will always be much more profitable money wise. The program wasn't designed to give people as much as they would get from farming. Renting land right now with crop prices so high is a little more profitable then CRP in most cases, but taking a look back into the history of crop prices will prove it hasn't always been that way. Some of these people who are getting double the rental rates are getting well over $200 per acre. It wasn't too long ago that crop prices were so cheap they were hardly worth planting it seemed. CRP really saved some peoples butts then. Rent prices are high now but when crop prices go back down so will the rent prices.
Also, some CRP practices will drastically improve your crop yield and prices. For example, the CP33 program is designed to be planted just around the border of crop fields, where crops readily get shaded out by trees and yields are usually very low if any at all. In this case, you will be getting way more from CRP payments then you would if you were farming it.
As far as the not getting accepted part, you must be referring to the general CRP signup which is competitive, and you are right not everyone will get accepted. If you do it right (scoring wise) there is a good chance you will though.
However, there are many CRP programs where as long as you and your land meet eligibility requirements you will automatically be accepted during signup periods. So if you want to sign up for one of these CRP programs and we are during a signup period and you meet requirements, you WILL be accepted.
There really are a lot more options out there for agricultural landowners then most realize, and they are designed with both farm production and wildlife in mind.
Also, some CRP practices will drastically improve your crop yield and prices. For example, the CP33 program is designed to be planted just around the border of crop fields, where crops readily get shaded out by trees and yields are usually very low if any at all. In this case, you will be getting way more from CRP payments then you would if you were farming it.
As far as the not getting accepted part, you must be referring to the general CRP signup which is competitive, and you are right not everyone will get accepted. If you do it right (scoring wise) there is a good chance you will though.
However, there are many CRP programs where as long as you and your land meet eligibility requirements you will automatically be accepted during signup periods. So if you want to sign up for one of these CRP programs and we are during a signup period and you meet requirements, you WILL be accepted.
There really are a lot more options out there for agricultural landowners then most realize, and they are designed with both farm production and wildlife in mind.
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One of my landowners is taking advantage of that program, Seth. CRP all around the shaded edges. Great idea as everything in the area gets plowed if there isn't a tree on it...and there are not many trees.
Yep Brock I know just what you mean, its like the black desert out there. I usually work in Fayette county twice a week and have seen a lot of fence rows being pushed out by dozers this winter, more then ever. You don't have to drive very far to see a cloud of black smoke from a burning pushed out fence row.
I have seen more of this the last two winters as well. Used to be the farmers would clean up the overhanging limbs and maybe a fence row here and there. Last winter and this winter I am seeing entire fence rows removed and small (1-3acre) woodlots being removed. One of the ones removed last winter was a nice thick section of scrub brush and thorns. I killed my 2010 buck out of that patch. Wish it was still there.