How About That CRP?

How About That CRP?

A lot of landowners are confused by the alphabet soup of today's USDA programs.

A CRP contract is "Conservation Reserve Program"

A WRP contract is "Wetlands Reserve Program"

With CRP, you are paid 'so much' an acre, each year for the (usually) 10 year contract.
    The land could be high and dry, but there has to be some conservation benefit to the USDA.

With WRP, this is permanent (usually).  They make a one-time payment and you can never farm it again.    The land must be fairly wet -- they will break the tiles, make short dams, or whatever they like to make it wetter.  

With each program you still own the land.

CRP and WRP payment offerings are generally better than the fair market value.

This has not been the case in my history -- it is unpredecented.

Now may be the time to consider one or the other, depending on your situation.

If you have very highly productive Iowa Farmland, the programs are probably not for you, in general.

There are always exceptions to the general rules.

Visit with a Farm Specialist, a Broker, Auctioneer, Appraiser, Farm Manager, or Agricutural Law Attorney, it could be money and time well spent!

According to Christopher Doering, a record number of farmers and ranchers want to get in the CRP, but many are being turned away because the USDA simply can't accept any more land by law, he quoted Secretary Tom Vilsack on this week.