Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Farm Bill

Heard a podcast state that they were under the impression cropping history years wouldn't be updated in this farm bill
That is INSANITY if that's true. That whole part of the program needs a revision bigtime along with CRP eligibility based on CSR/HEL levels. Cropping history should be X amount of years in a row, then becomes eligible. 2,3,5, whatever, but to try be working off a 10 year old system is about impossible when a farm exchanges hands. CRP should only be eligible on some % of HEL and a cap on CSR levels. This would eliminate big flat high CSR farms of CRP and keep it more available for where it makes sense and be easier to enroll if it only needs to be farmed a couple years. I had a farm a while back I was farming trying to get cropping history. At least 30% of the acres had no business being farmed but it's the only way to get history to qualify.
 
I haven't heard anything about crop history not being updated. The House passed their version back in April. Really little to no improvements to CRP other than just reauthorizing through 2031. There's a push in the Senate to bring their bill up for a markup before the summer recess but I wouldn't hold my breath. It would be great if their version included improvements to rental rates, mid-contract maintenance, etc but who knows. The big debate will be CRP/ag incentives vs nutrition portions...
 
CRP could actually be its own line item. I wish PF, DU & others would push for that . It could be much easier !! Typical government.
 
Agreed. It's a screwy system...the bright side to conservation right now is the big funding added to EQIP CSP etc. There's a lot of money out there right now for doing habitat work. Has anyone heard anything about the forestry additions? I heard Jake Hoefer talk about it with his most recent podcast with Steve Hanson but there weren't many details shared.
 
Although it sounds counterintuitive I did read some recommendations from different conservations groups wanting to keep the years of eligibility the same 2012-2017. The reasoning was to discourage marginal land from being broke out for the purpose of CRP. I have never thought of it from that angle. It is encouraging to see more money for CSP and Equip and forestry related practices. Sounds like it will be altered in the Senate so anything is possible.
 
Top Bottom