Enrollment for Conservation Reserve Program ends Friday

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that the deadline to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up is quickly approaching. Farmers and ranchers have until close of business on Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, to offer eligible land for CRP's competitive general sign-up. Applications can be completed by land owners at the FSA county office where their farm records are maintained. The 2008 Farm Bill authorized USDA to maintain CRP enrollment up to 32 million acres.

In addition to producers signing up for the first time, CRP participants with existing contracts that are scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2010, may elect to re-enroll under a new 10-15 year contract. Cropland that is highly erodible, or is covered under an expiring CRP contract is generally eligible to be enrolled into CRP, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.

Contracts awarded under this 39th sign-up are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2010.

CRP is a voluntary program that helps farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers protect their environmentally sensitive land. Producers enrolling in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share and technical assistance.

In addition to the general sign-up, CRP's continuous sign-up program is ongoing. Continuous acres represent the most environmentally desirable and sensitive land. For more information on the general CRP sign-up, or the continuous CRP sign-up, producers should contact their local FSA county office, or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

ANOTHER PROGRAM NOTE: USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Jonathan Coppess has also recently pointed out that producers have only until Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, to submit an application for payment under the 2008 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program. SURE provides financial assistance for crop production and or quality losses due to a natural disaster.

"We want producers to be aware of this deadline so they are certain to visit their FSA county office to file a 2008 SURE program payment application no later than September 30, 2010," said Coppess. "It is important to finish the current 2008 SURE program sign-up because the authority for the Recovery Act supplement for payment benefits expires at the end of the current fiscal year and the Department of Agriculture will then start the 2009 SURE sign-up application process."

FSA began accepting and processing 2008 SURE program applications in January 2010, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allowed for a one-time increase in the calculation of 2008 SURE payments that are filed by Sept. 30, 2010. Producers who do not file a 2008 SURE program payment application by Sept. 30, 2010, will not be considered eligible for 2008 SURE program payments.

Qualifications for SURE include being fully insured on mechanically harvested crops, including double cropped soybeans and forage crops. An electronic SURE program payment calculator and additional information regarding the SURE program is located at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/sure, or producers can contact their local county FSA office.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Editor's Note: Doug Niemeir is the County Executive Director for the USDA/Farm Service Agency. He can be reached by emailing him at Douglas.Niemeir@ks.usda.gov