FSA Working To Increase CRP Numbers

Back in 2018, Congress set the CRP acreage target at 25 million. How close is USDA to reaching that goal?

"We're at 20.6 million at the end of July."

And the FSA's Zach Ducheneaux said they may end the year four million short of the target. He said since 2018 farmers have been taking more land out of CRP than putting in to the program which pays farmers for pulling land out of production to protect soils, water, and wildlife. Officials have been doing some things to try to increase CRP enrollment. First rental rates have been adjusted: 

"To account for inflation they had been pretty stagnant and we feel that that's one of the reasons that enrollment was lagging. And then we also took a look at the incentives that are offered and increased incentive payments for some of the practices that can be adopted to further enhance conservation and soil health."

Ducheneaux said they are starting to work this year and he expects more acres to go in to CRP than what comes out. 

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