Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA will open CRP enrollment with higher payment rates, new incentives and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation. Additionally, the agency is announcing investments in partnerships to increase climate-smart agriculture.
USDA’s goal is to enroll up to 4 million new acres in CRP by raising rental payment rates and expanding the number of incentivized environmental practices allowed under the program. The acres currently enrolled in the program mitigate more than 12 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. If USDA reaches its goal of enrolling an additional 4 million acres, it will mitigate an additional 3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent and prevent 90 million pounds of nitrogen and 33 million tons of sediment from running into our waterways each year.
CRP’s long-term goal is to establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, improve soil health and carbon sequestration, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. USDA’s FSA offers a number of signups, including the general signup and continuous signup, which are both open now, as well as a CRP Grasslands and pilot programs focused on soil health and clean water.
To target the program on climate change mitigation, FSA is introducing a new Climate-Smart Practice Incentive for CRP general and continuous signups that aims to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate-Smart CRP practices include establishment of trees and permanent grasses, development of wildlife habitat and wetland restoration. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is annual, and the amount is based on the benefits of each practice type.
In 2021, CRP is capped at 25 million acres, and currently 20.8 million acres are enrolled. The cap will gradually increase to 27 million acres by 2023. To help increase producer interest and enrollment, FSA is:
Adjusting soil rental rates. This enables additional flexibility for rate adjustments, including a possible increase in rates where appropriate.
Increasing payments for Practice Incentives from 20% to 50%. This incentive for continuous CRP practices is based on the cost of establishment and is in addition to cost share payments.