USDA reopening CRP sign-up program – Outdoor News

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency recently announced a new general and continuous sign-up period for the Conservation Reserve Program running through June 6.

“With 1.8 million acres available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year, we are very aware that we are bumping up against the statutory 27-million-acre statutory cap,” said Bill Beam, of the Farm Service Agency.

“Now more than ever, it’s important that the acres offered by landowners and those approved by USDA address our most critical natural resource concerns.

“With the limited number of acres that we have available, we’re not necessarily looking for the most acres offered but instead prioritizing mindful conservation efforts to ensure we maximize the return on our investment from both a conservation and economic perspective.”

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CRP has long been one of the nation’s most important tools for creating rural economic stability for farmers and ranchers, particularly for managing less productive cropland.

This opportunity to enroll nearly 2 million acres is crucial for states with the highest number of acres expiring from CRP, including Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, North Dakota, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota.

Landowners should visit their nearest USDA Service Center to learn more about general and continuous CRP eligibility.

Andrew Schmidt, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s director of government affairs, emphasized the importance of the move.

“As the Conservation Reserve Program approaches its 40th anniversary, it remains a vital pillar of the ecological and economic safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers,” he said

“CRP has helped producers manage risk while delivering unmatched benefits for wildlife habitat, soil health, and water quality. We commend USDA for reopening signups and urge farmers, ranchers, and landowners to take advantage of this proven conservation program that continues to pay dividends for rural economies, producers and hunters.”      

The Conservation Reserve Program has supported wildlife populations and rural communities since it was created in 1985. Producers and landowners can enroll acres under the continuous signup, including sought after practices offered through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative.

Under the General signup, interested landowners can submit a bid for their proposed contract, which is then ranked via the Environmental Benefit Index (EBI). Bids are scored against one another to determine which offers are accepted for enrollment.

For help enrolling in CRP, landowners can locate one of the more than 400 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever biologists throughout the United States. Visit the group’s biologist locator to search for the nearest team member by zip code.

Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2025/05/16/usda-reopening-crp-sign-up-program/