Klobuchar, Thune, Smith & Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Conservation Reserve Program

WASHINGTON –
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Thune (R-SD), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement and Flexibility Act.
This bipartisan legislation would bolster CRP by improving access to grazing, maximizing enrollment options for producers, and expediting emergency haying in response to drought and other weather-related disaster events.
“The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat,”
said Klobuchar. “
This bipartisan legislation makes commonsense improvements to CRP that will strengthen conservation practices and landowner enrollment in this vital program.”
“Ensuring that CRP continues to be an effective option for producers and landowners is critical to South Dakota’s agriculture industry,”
said Thune.
“As a longtime supporter of CRP, I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would help advance the multiple-use benefits of this conservation program, including wildlife habitat and livestock forage potential.”
“The Conservation Reserve Program has long provided economic benefits to Minnesota farmers and ranchers who help protect our natural resources,”
said Senator Smith.
“This bill is an important step to helping protect our land for years to come.”
“We appreciate the bipartisan work to improve the Conservation Reserve Program for farmers, ranchers, and conservationists,”
said Minnesota Farmers Union President, Gary Wertish.
“Weather is unpredictable, and each growing season brings its own challenges. Adding flexibility for land enrolled in CRP helps farmers make the right decisions for their operations, the land, and the environment. We’re also glad to see this bill reflect the recognition that incorporating livestock on conservation acres can help improve wildlife habitat and soil health.”
“The Conservation Reserve Program is an essential tool to help farmers and landowners safeguard wildlife habitat while providing opportunities to keep the land in grazing. This bipartisan legislation will make needed improvements in the program, including through protecting the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Program, modernizing the payment limit, and providing tools to farmers and ranchers to allow for better grazing management on CRP lands,”
said Aviva Glaser, senior director of agriculture policy at National Wildlife Federation.
“Although we remain concerned about possible impacts to ground-nesting birds from haying activity during the final two weeks of the primary nesting season, we are grateful to Majority Leader Thune, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and Senators Smith and Moran for thoughtfully balancing the needs of wildlife and the need for emergency forage production.”
“We are pleased with the Senators’ focus on improving CRP. Cattle are the best and most efficient tool to manage our grasslands, and improving CRP to fit grazing practices is crucial,”
said Kaitlyn Root, Executive Director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association.
The
CRP Improvement and Flexibility Ac
t would:
Make CRP grazing a more attractive option by providing cost-share for the establishment of grazing infrastructure – including fencing and water distribution – on all CRP practices and contracts if grazing is included in the approved conservation plan;
Increase the CRP annual payment limitation from $50,000, which was established in 1985, to $125,000 to account for inflation and rising land values and provide landowners with more CRP enrollment options to ensure resources are appropriately conserved;
Reinstate mid-contract management cost-share payments for activities that are not related to haying or grazing;
Permanently establish the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement practice under Continuous CRP; and
Create flexibility for producers by allowing emergency haying on CRP acres when certain conditions are met and in consultation with state technical committees.
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