COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Texas is encouraging eligible producers to make offers for enrollment in the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program’s (CRP) State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative.
“Eligible producers whose offers are accepted for CRP SAFE may find this as a beneficial opportunity to receive higher rental rates and incentives for implementing SAFE practices”, said Kelly Adkins, State Executive Director for FSA in Texas. “This program also provides the opportunity for producers to be engaged with restoring vital habitat to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.”
FSA previously announced SAFE initiatives in Texas, including the Prairie SAFE Project and the Lower Rio Grande Valley Thornscrub SAFE Project.
CRP pays a yearly rental payment in exchange for farmers and landowners removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and planting species that will improve environmental quality.
Signup for new enrollments for CRP SAFE initiatives utilizing fiscal year 2023 soil rental rates began on Feb. 27, 2023. The revised 2023 soil rental rates are available on FSA’s webpage.
Producers with current CRP-1 contracts may make offers for re-enrollment in CRP SAFE starting April 1, 2023.
Land currently enrolled in CRP may be offered for re-enrollment through Continuous CRP if the land enrolled in CRP is in the last year of a CRP-1 contract, and no earlier than 6 months before the CRP-1 contract is scheduled to expire.
Land previously enrolled in CRP with a contract that expired since 2012 and was maintained as CRP would meet the cropping history requirement for enrollment.
Financial assistance through the SAFE projects may include:
10-15 years of annual rental payments
Payments of up to 50% cost-share for practice establishment
Practices enrolled through Continuous CRP Sign-up will also receive:
o A 50% Practice Incentive Payment
o Sign-up Incentive Payment equal to 32.5% of first full year’s annual rental payment
o A Climate Smart Annual Practice Incentive of 3, 5, or 10 based on the practice cover.
Payments up to 90% of established Soil Rental Rate may be possible for:
o Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds
o Permanent Wildlife Habitat
o Rare and Declining Habitat (Primarily Grasses and Trees)
Unlike General CRP, Continuous CRP SAFE does not have a ranking period. Eligible offers may be accepted, and contracts may be approved on a first-come basis until the county reaches the 25% cropland limit.
Farmers and landowners interested in learning more about these CRP SAFE Initiative projects can contact their local USDA Service Center for more information. Prairie SAFE Project and Lower Rio Grande Valley Thornscrub SAFE Project fact sheets can also be found online at fsa.usda.gov/tx. Offers are accepted year-round for Continuous CRP.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a
workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.