MEDIA RELEASE

Farm Service Agency

Public Affairs Staff

1400 Independence Ave SW

Stop 0506, Room 3624-South

Washington, D.C. 20250-0506

Release No. 1434.09

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 24, 2009 - The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Administrator Dennis Taitano signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 19, 2009, with the Longleaf Alliance, establishing a framework of cooperation regarding longleaf pine conservation and restoration as part of FSA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

The purpose of the MOU is to broaden conservation efforts, education and public information concerning longleaf pine forest conservation and restoration. The memorandum was signed at the Wildlife Management Institute's (WMI) North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Crystal City, Va, bringing together natural resource scientists, managers and educators to discuss wildlife and natural resource issues.

"It is our goal to build upon past cooperation with the Longleaf Alliance and other conservation partners by promoting restoration of longleaf pine forests and providing habitat for a number of species of economic, environmental and social importance," said Taitano.

The Longleaf Pine Forest initially encompassed 90 million acres, stretching from southern Virginia to eastern Texas. By the early 1990s, only about 2.8 million acres of this once vast and majestic forest remained. The unique economic, ecological and social benefits associated with longleaf pine have been well documented. This reduction led concerned members of the forestry and wildlife communities to form the Longleaf Alliance in 1995, in order to better conserve and restore significant functioning longleaf pine ecosystems.

In 1997, FSA established a Longleaf Pine National CRP Conservation Priority Area (CPA) to facilitate restoration of longleaf pine under the general CRP CP3A Tree Planting (Longleaf Pine) conservation practice. Building upon the success of the CP3A conservation practice, in 2006, FSA announced a continuous CRP CP36 Longleaf Pine conservation practice. CRP enrollment between the two practices currently exceeds 277,000 acres.

Under CRP, farmers and ranchers enroll eligible land in 10- to 15-year contracts with USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). FSA administers CRP on behalf of CCC. Participants plant appropriate conservation cover, such as grasses and trees, in crop fields and along streams. These plantings help prevent soil and nutrients from running into waterways and affecting water quality. The long-term vegetative cover also improves wildlife habitat and soil quality.

To find out more about CRP or other FSA farm programs, please visit your FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.