Sign Up for New South Dakota CRP Practice Begins November 23rd
New practice benefits wildlife habitat as well as hunter access along James River
Source: http://pheasantsforever.org/
Published: Nov. 18, 2009
Sign up for South Dakota's newest Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice begins on Monday, November 23rd. The goal of South Dakota's targeted Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, or CREP, is to enroll up to 100,000 acres of eligible agricultural land located in the James River Watershed. Acres enrolled in the South Dakota CREP will also be enrolled in the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Walk-In Area Program for hunting and fishing access.
Sign up for the South Dakota CREP will be held on a continuous basis, and the practice was designed specifically to enhance wildlife habitat, improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and aid flood control in the James River Watershed. It is especially critical when considering that South Dakota has lost nearly 430,000 acres of CRP in the last four years due to contract expirations, and another 800,000 CRP acres are slated to expire in the coming five years. The vast majority of expired CRP has been converted to row crop production. "This new conservation initiative provides advantages for landowners, wildlife and outdoorsmen and women, and we fully expect interest in South Dakota to be high and for acreage enrollment to be swift," said Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever's Vice President of Government Affairs. "South Dakota remains the 'Pheasant Capital,' but that doesn't mean there aren't serious wildlife habitat issues in the state," he added, "From pheasant habitat to improving wetland habitat in a portion of the Prairie Pothole Region, this new CRP option will provide a much-needed conservation boost." Helping enroll acres in the South Dakota CREP will be Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologists. Through a unique partnership, Farm Bill Biologists are located in local USDA service centers in priority habitat areas throughout the pheasant range, including South Dakota. Farm Bill Biologists educate farmers and landowners about the benefits of conservation programs, such as CREP, as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. For additional information and application assistance regarding CREP, click here, contact your local USDA service center or click here to find your local Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist. Anthony Hauck (651) 209-4972 AHauck@pheasantsforever.org
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