Despite 3.4 Million New Acres, CRP Needs More

WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the acceptance of more than 3.4 million acres in the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup recently completed, the first general signup enrollments since 2016. The cutoff point for enrollment was an environmental benefits index (EBI) score of 210. EBI scores are based on relative environmental benefits for the land offered during the time the land is to be enrolled in the program. Close to 56,000 farmers and landowners offered 3.8 million acres and 89% of the acres were accepted. Agri-Pulse reports that Texas, Colorado, and Kansas saw some of the highest numbers of acres. Still, more land will need to come into the program to meet Congressional intent (2018 Farm Bill) as enrollment is only about halfway toward the eight million acres needed to meet the acreage cap.