Applications for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program are due next week
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Multiple USDA program deadlines are approaching.
To help ensure producers don’t miss out on these deadlines, here’s a list of upcoming application windows farmers may be interested in.
Applications for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are due on June 28.
This program “contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead used for conservation benefits,” the program’s webpage says.
The Farm Service Agency can provide participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance for either 10 or 15 years.
In 2023, Colorado enrolled more than one million acres, the most of any individual state. Colorado also accounted for the most CRP acres in 2022.
Next month, the crop acreage reporting deadline falls.
July 15 is the deadline for corn, soybeans a most crops. But acreage reporting varies by county and by crop.
Farmers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center or crop insurance agent for crop and county deadline information.
“If you want to participate in many USDA programs, including crop insurance, safety net, conservation, and disaster assistance programs, you must file timely acreage reports to remain eligible for program benefits,” an information sheet says.
Farmers interested in getting involved with their local Farm Service Agency committee may want to circle Aug. 1 on their calendars.
That’s the deadline to apply to serve on local FSA county committees.
These committees are made up of between three and 11 members who serve three-year terms.
These committees “are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and location administration of federal farm programs,” an information page says.
And October 31 is the deadline for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
This program “provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural producers who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program.”