May 4, 2009

      

The USDA will allow farmers this year to re-enroll up to 1.5 million acres of crop land into a field-idling programme, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement released Friday (May 1).

 

The USDA pays producers to refrain from farming on about 32 million acres under the conservation reserve programme, or CRP, which is designed to save soil from being over-farmed and keep environmentally sensitive land out of production.

 

Contracts for 3.9 million acres idled under the programme are expiring in September, but USDA said it wants to keep the most environmentally sensitive land idled.

 

"CRP contracts with the highest environmental benefit or with the highest potential for soil erosion will be selected," the USDA said in the Friday announcement. "CRP contracts can not exceed 15 years in the aggregate and chosen CRP contract holders will generally be offered a three to five year extension."

 

The sign-up period for farmers to apply for extensions will begin May 18 and run through June 20, the USDA said.