For the first time since 2018, USDA is accepting applications for the Conservation Reserve Program.
And the state Game and Fish Department is offering help to farmers who are interested in signing up for CRP.
Game and Fish private land supervisor Kevin Kading said he hopes to show landowners that CRP-created wildlife habitat makes it a great fit for the department’s Private Land Open To Sportsmen program, or PLOTS.
"We might be able to help them out in some ways with cost-share assistance, or some other incentives, if they're interested in CRP," Kading said.
Kading said says the option of getting some financial help through the PLOTS program could make it easier for farmers to enroll.
"The CRP rental rates have been reduced, probably as a cost-savings," Kading said. "With that lower rental rate coming from USDA, a landowner might look at PLOTS, and that might help offset some of that."
Kading said Game and Fish also could help the farmers develop offers that might have a better chance of being accepted by USDA. He said there are a lot of different factors that go into scoring and ranking of CRP offers.
"Our biologists in the field can help a landowner through that process, and work with that landowner to try and increase the likelihood of their offer being accepted."
Kading said North Dakota has about a million acres enrolled in CRP – but he says that’s down from the three million enrolled when CRP was more prevalent in North Dakota.
Landowners have until February 28th to sign up for CRP.
