USDA Conservation Reserve Program registration now open

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (KNEP) - The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications for its Conservation Reserve Program. It will accept applications until April 7. Any landowner, farmer, or rancher can apply for the program.

The USDA will be offering three different types of CRP, the first being a general CRP, allowing for producers or landowners to designate lands for conservation and only has a set sign up period, a contiguous version allowing for sign up any time of the year but the land has to be more environmentally sensitive and a grasslands version allowing people to still use working lands but also protect them.

The USDA will be hosting classes for people if they are not familiar with the program.

March 21, 1 p.m. Chadron – American Legion, 123 Bordeaux St.

March 22, 1 p.m. Oshkosh – Oshkosh Auditorium, 602 West 2nd.

March 27, 1 p.m. Sidney – South Platte NRD, 551 Parkland Dr.

March 28, 1 p.m. Alliance – Alliance Knight Museum, 908 Yellowstone Ave.

Each class will be free to the public and no registration is required. Farm Service Agency members from each county will discuss CRP practice options, land eligibility criteria and updated soil rental rates.

For more information, contact your county office. Contact information for each county can be found here and if people wish to learn more about the CRP itself more can be found here.