|
 Through SAFE, producers and landowners restore vital habitat in
alignment with high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.
Specifically, landowners establish wetlands, grasses, and trees.
These practices are designed to enhance important wildlife
populations by creating critical habitat and food sources. They
also protect soil and water health by working as a barrier to
sediment and nutrient run-off before they reach waterways.
Expanded Practices
To help improve the planning and implementation of the SAFE
initiative, FSA is adding two new practices with the assistance
of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), FSA’s
sister agency. In partnership with FSA, NRCS employees across
the country provide CRP participants with critical conservation
planning assistance, which will now include managing for early
successional habitat cover establishment or management, as well
as wildlife habitat planting. These additional eligible
practices will enable SAFE partners to better target a wide
variety of wildlife species, such as the Northern bobwhite,
lesser prairie-chicken, and the New England cottontail.
As part of this year’s SAFE signup, FSA will also authorize
cost-share assistance for producers who would like to re-enroll
acres in CRP but need assistance updating their vegetative cover
to align with NRCS practice standards for early successional
habitat or wildlife planting.
Submitting Proposals
Eligible entities for SAFE include government entities,
non-profits, or private organizations.
Additionally, partners with SAFE projects with both General and
Continuous CRP practices must submit modified proposals to
continue in the program.
New and modified proposals for SAFE projects must
be submitted to the FSA State Office in Springfield in June.
Contact your State Office for the state-specific deadline. More
information on developing proposals is available at fsa.usda.gov/crp.
[to top of second column] |
More Information
SAFE is part of the Continuous CRP signup, and producers can begin
enrolling in new or updated SAFE programs beginning October 1, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Continuous and Grassland signups are currently open,
and producers can learn more by contacting their local USDA Service
Center. To learn more about SAFE and its benefits, see the
initiative’s fact sheet.
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.
CRP complements other USDA conservation programs, including several
programs offered by NRCS for working lands and conservation
easements. Earlier this month, NRCS released its Northern Bobwhite,
Grasslands and Savannas Framework for Conservation Action to help
guide voluntary conservation work over the next five years across 25
states, including over 7 million acres of new conservation practices
on productive, working lands, and will contribute to the
Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to make our nation a leader on
climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience. The plan will
accelerate voluntary conservation efforts for the Northern bobwhite
quail and the grassland and savanna landscapes that the species
calls home.
[Illinois / USDA - FPAC]
 |
