10/07/08 CRP incentives for public access

For Conservation Reserve Program contract holders who are willing to open up their land to the public for recreational activities there's a new USDA incentive. The federal government will pay three dollars per acre to CRP landowners who enroll in a state public access program. JOHNSON "This three dollar per acre incentive payment on CRP contract acres will provide an incentive on top of any state incentives to encourage landowners to open up their land for hunting, fishing, other outdoor activities." Farm Service Agency deputy administrator John Johnson says Idaho is one of the 21 states eligible for this new program. The goal is to double public access by providing up to seven million CRP acres in the next five years. Some of that acreage could come out of Idaho if producers opt into the program. Today nearly 775 thousand acres of Idaho land is enrolled in CRP. That's five thousand 831 contracts for 33 hundred 43 farms. The average Idaho CRP farm receives nearly 97 hundred dollars or $41.79 per acre. FSA is now in the process of issuing more than 32 million dollars in rental payments to eligible CRP producers in Idaho. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott