Grasslands Conservation Program Expands to Smaller Producers

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The Farm Service Agency says it will accept 300,000 acres offered by producers in 43 states during the recent ranking period for the Conservation Reserve Program enrollment. The emphasis during this time was placed on smaller-scale livestock operations. The voluntary CRP Grasslands Program allows lands threatened by either development or conversion to row crops to remain as livestock grazing areas while providing important benefits to the environment. Roughly two-thirds of the acres accepted were offered by small-scale producers. “Producers of all sizes are interested in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program,” says FSA Administrator Val Dolcini. “This latest round of enrollments features grasslands that came from smaller livestock operations, which shows that our nation’s farmers and ranchers can have a big impact on environmental conservation.” This was the first ever CRP grasslands practice that was specifically tailored for smaller livestock operations to encourage more participation. Larger producers may offer acres under the normal enrollment process.