The Agriculture Department last week announced enrollment of 2.5 million acres of grasslands into the Conservation Reserve Program, twice as much acreage as last year's signup and a major step forward for the Biden administration's goal to sharply expand the program.
Tag: USDA
The House Agriculture Committee unanimously advanced a bipartisan bill Wednesday authorizing $43 billion to expand rural broadband service nationwide by dramatically increasing USDA's expiring loan and grant program.
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USDA announced on Monday that it was setting a July 23 deadline for applying for the Conservation Reserve Program. Applications for the CRP Grasslands program will be open until Aug. 20.
The 30-year span is meant to ensure that these practices make a long-term difference in soil and water health.
Producers with CRP contracts must sign up for the program by Aug. 6.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today published the 90-Day Progress Report on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry .View More
The Biden administration is increasing payment rates and offering new financial incentives in a bid to spur landowners to enroll 4 million more acres into the Conservation Reserve Program.
USDA announced Wednesday plans to spend at least $6 billion on new pandemic aid programs that reach a broader swath of producers than previous efforts, while putting “a greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers, specialty crop and organic producers (and) timber harvesters.”
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Matt Lohr, who has served as the only appointed chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service during the Trump administration, is leaving USDA. In an exit interview with Agri-Pulse, the departing chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lohr says he expects the agency to finalize four major conservation program rules this fall, including those for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program. The rules will make changes required by the 2018 farm bill. Lohr, who told employees he’d be leaving Aug. 15 to manage his farm in Virginia full-time, says the agency will be in good hands with incoming Acting Chief Kevin Norton. One of his final acts as Chief was to convene a stakeholder conference call which LICA participated in.
LICA participated in an industry stakeholder call this week with NRCS Chief Matt Lohr and his deputies. The Chief provided an update on USDA activities concerning COVID 19 and the impact on operations and staffing. He also provided program updates on Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), CART and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) assistance from NRCS. Stakeholders asked questions mainly on the public announcement of grants and awards.
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