Friendly Reminder of CRP Mid-contract Management

Friendly Reminder about CRP Mid-contract Management

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report.

If you have CRP contracts that are about five to six years old, it is important to remember the mid-contract management requirement. Rod Hamilton, Washington State’s Farm Service Agency’s Farm Program Chief explains more.

Hamilton: “Starting back in about 2003 or so, we included a requirement in our CRP contracts that producers do what we call a mid-contract management activity something to reinvigorate the stand because CRP stands sit undisturbed for long periods. Grasses are usually going to benefit from some kind of disturbance to stimulate growth.”

There are a variety of disturbance choices for the producer in their mid-contract management and it does depend on their specific CRP lands needs. Hamilton says prior to the producers’ activity they should contact their local FSA office first.

Hamilton: “The requirements that they are usually going to see in their Conservation Plan are often times going to list either several options or a variety of options of some type. What we usually request they do is take a look at their stand, then contact our office or maybe the NRCS office for that county and discuss what those folks think would might be the most effective disturbance and then we’ll go ahead and approve that. We provide a 50 percent cost sharing on that activity.”

Hamilton notes that it is critical to do mid-contract activity following the nesting season which would be after July 1.

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.