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Any New SAFE signups? Or any other new native grass sign ups?

M

MObowhunter10

Member
Hey guys, just bought a farm in South Central Iowa and will be moving up there soon. One of the first things I was hoping to do was get some Native Grass established in some of the crop fields. Do you know if theres currently any sign ups going on for any sort of Native grass establishment? I know CP42 (the pollinator mix) is going on but that only allows 25% in native grass. I was hoping some more acres would come up for enrollment in the SAFE program, as that has done wonders for some of my Missouri Farms.
 
I do not think there are any sign ups right now, but I am sure they will open up SAFE again. There are filters strips, wetland CRP, etc...
 
Your timing might be bad.... I'm almost certain you need to own the ground for a year before you can sign up. Probably want to call FSA. The hope would be some new programs coming out in future.
 
If your a new or beginning farmer there are special rules for enrolling crp. That means if you have not filed schedule f every year for past 10 years....your a beginner farmer. You must ask for it. You can sign up for SAFE, cp42,etc without having to own for 12 months.
 
There are acres of SAFE CRP available...from what I hear you must sign up a minimum of 5 acres.
 
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There should be acres available as many states received new increases in acres recently. But not sure how much of a backlog of applications is out there in safe areas. Local office should be able to tell ya. If you don't like their answer...try another office. Farm services agency is known for having different opinions from office to office.
 
I just signed up 62 acres into CP38e. It's the quail safe program. I'm located in Wayne county. It does not pay quite as much as my other crp. Does have some other benifits tho. Don't know if it's good or bad for everyone but, 25% needs to be planted into small grain seed in yrs 1, 4, and 7 but can be planted every year but needs to be left standing. (If you go back and read some of Paul's work that really increases amount of food you can plant) You can plant "food plots" on any of this 25% every year into the food of your choice. Only stipulations are that only 10% of total acres can be planted into "deer food plots"
 
4DABUCKS said:
I just signed up 62 acres into CP38e. It's the quail safe program. I'm located in Wayne county. It does not pay quite as much as my other crp. Does have some other benifits tho. Don't know if it's good or bad for everyone but, 25% needs to be planted into small grain seed in yrs 1, 4, and 7 but can be planted every year but needs to be left standing. (If you go back and read some of Paul's work that really increases amount of food you can plant) You can plant "food plots" on any of this 25% every year into the food of your choice. Only stipulations are that only 10% of total acres can be planted into "deer food plots"
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The place I live on is going into the quail safe program next spring, and I'm not sure what you mean by the bolded part. As I understand it, 25% of your total acres get planted in small grain (replanted on years 1, 4, and 7 as you stated), and those don't get touched in the years between, then 10% of your total acres can still be planted into food plots of whatever you want. For instance, my landlord has ~40 acres - 10 acres will get put into the small grains that will be left for 3 years, 26 acres will be put into native grass (probably CP25 short), and then 4 acres will be put into food plots that will be maintained every year - 1.5 acres sorghum, 2.5 acres for the deer.

Am I missing something?
 
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I think you may have just explained it better! The 40 acre comparison is correct as far as % goes. I am under the understanding that you can use 10% for food plots even if it is part of the 25% that needs to be planted into small grains in yrs 1,4,and 7.
With what I was told, out of the 10 acres (using the 40 acres as example) 4 acres of that can be planted in plots.
 
Just a note to all.... the crp program is very near reaching the national cap on acres. There is a possibility of a shutdown of application acceptance later this summer. So get in while you can. If you have existing crp that expires this October, then you need to go into office and ask about re enrolling. There are limited options for re enrollment. The early bird get the worm.
 
4DABUCKS said:
I think you may have just explained it better! The 40 acre comparison is correct as far as % goes. I am under the understanding that you can use 10% for food plots even if it is part of the 25% that needs to be planted into small grains in yrs 1,4,and 7.
With what I was told, out of the 10 acres (using the 40 acres as example) 4 acres of that can be planted in plots.
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I'm still confused. I was under the impression that the 4 acres of food plots (10%) get put in somewhere OTHER than the acres set aside for the small grains. So they would be placed somewhere in the 30 acres of native grass..

Or maybe they can be put ANYWHERE on that 40 acres? Doesnt really matter where they go, as long as there is under 10% of your total acres planted?

Are we saying the same thing, or is that opposite of what you were told?
 
Duckriver said:
If your a new or beginning farmer there are special rules for enrolling crp. That means if you have not filed schedule f every year for past 10 years....your a beginner farmer. You must ask for it. You can sign up for SAFE, cp42,etc without having to own for 12 months.
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Are you sure you can sign up in SAFE without having to own for 12 months??
 
Paragraph 126 of crp manual. Section d. "A beginning or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher that has an approved crp1-1r is not required to meet the 12 month owner/operator criteria when enrolling in crp continuous sign up.
 
I got clarification on this. Using your example of 40 acres. (25%) or 10 acres is to be planted into small grains. You can still do 4 acres or (10%) into traditional (deer) food plots. No matter what you do at the end of the day, 25% of the 40 acres needs to be planted into small grains. Your 10% or 4 acres is above and beyond the 25% of small grain.
 
4DABUCKS said:
I got clarification on this. Using your example of 40 acres. (25%) or 10 acres is to be planted into small grains. You can still do 4 acres or (10%) into traditional (deer) food plots. No matter what you do at the end of the day, 25% of the 40 acres needs to be planted into small grains. Your 10% or 4 acres is above and beyond the 25% of small grain.
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This information pertains to cp38e. (Quail Safe)
 
For those of you with experience and knowledge of planting small grains. (Buckwheat, oats, millet, sorghum, rye and a couple others) I'm in the planning stages of planting for my new crp. I'm planting @ 62 acre and need to plant 25% of that into small grains. This 15 acres is going to remain standing for 3 yrs. My ? Is what is/are my best options to plant this 15 acres into? I know theres no right answer but would appreciate thoughts and opinions from those of you with knowledge and experience!
Thanks in advance.
 
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