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1 (September 2, 2004)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthabcbh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS21613 Updated September 2, 2004 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Conservation Reserve Program: Status and Current Issues Barbara Johnson Analyst in Agricultural Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), enacted in 1985, provides payments to farmers to take highly erodible or environmentally sensitive cropland out of production for ten years or more to conserve soil and water resources. It is the federal government' s largest private land retirement program. The program is administered by the Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with technical assistance provided by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. Congress most recently reauthorized and amended the CRP through FY2007 in the 2002 Farm Bill, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (P.L. 107-171, 16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.). The 2002 law increased the CRP enrollment cap from 36.4 million acres to 39.2 million acres, added wildlife resources as a program purpose, and allowed participants to extend some contracts up to 15 years. In August 2004, USDA announced the second general signup since the farm bill was enacted. This signup, which runs from August 30 - September 24, 2004, allows landowners to submit bids to enroll acreage in CRP. USDA also announced two new CRP initiatives: one aimed at enrolling 250,000 acres of bobwhite quail habitat and a second to enroll 250,000 acres of wetlands located outside of floodplains. Landowners may apply to enroll in these initiatives any time from October 1, 2004 - December 31, 2007, or until the enrollment caps are reached. Finally, USDA requested public comment on long-term CRP policy issues (69 FR 48447). Comments are due December 8, 2004. This report will be updated periodically. What Is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)? The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the largest federal land retirement program for private land. It was first enacted by Congress in 1985 to help control soil erosion, stabilize land prices and control excessive agricultural production. Since then, program purposes have been expanded to include environmental goals such as increased wildlife habitat. The program is administered by USDA' s Farm Services Agency (FSA), with technical assistance from USDA' s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Congressional Research Service **o The Library of Congress

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