Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Signup Now Open

EAST LANSING, Mich., July 13, 2021 –– Agricultural producers and landowners in Michigan can apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands signup until August 20. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increased the program’s conservation and climate benefits.

“Michigan producers and landowners have already enrolled nearly 18,000 Michigan acres in the CRP Grasslands Program,” said David P. Russ, Acting State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Michigan. “We are excited to now offer this limited-time opportunity to enroll in 2021.”

Grasslands Signup

CRP Grasslands helps Michigan landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland, and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the Michigan economy, provides biodiversity of plant and animal populations, and provides important carbon sequestration benefits.

The CRP Grassland signup is competitive, and FSA will provide for annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes with rental rates in Michigan from $16 to $32 per acre.

How to Sign Up

To enroll in the CRP Grasslands signup, producers and landowners should contact their local USDA Service Center by the August 20 deadline.

Because of the pandemic, Michigan USDA Service Centers are open to limited visitors by appointment. Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools.

Contact your Service Center to set up an in-person or phone appointment. Additionally, more information related to USDA’s response and relief for producers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

More Information on CRP

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits. The program marked its 35-year anniversary this past December.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity, and natural resources, including our soil, air and water. Through conservation practices, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including state, local, and tribal governments.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In 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 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 www.usda.gov.