Farmers and landowners with acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are invited to an informational meeting Thursday, Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. at the Perry Public Library. The meeting will offer help to property owners facing mid-contract management (MCM) practices on their CRP ground.
The meeting is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Conservation Districts of Iowa and will look at MCM requirements and using prescribed burning as a tool.
Representatives with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the DNR will will be available to answer questions about MCM and prescribed burning and to help people with upcoming management requirements.
The program experts will also be available to discuss new USDA rules that took effect Jan. 9 allowing some landowners with CRP contracts to terminate their contracts early without a penalty as long as they are transferring the property to a new or beginning farmer.
The rule change is limited to the least sensitive lands under CRP contracts. The USDA hopes that by freeing up that land, especially the whole-field or whole-farm parcels, it will enable the department to also put smaller tracts of more sensitive lands under CRP contracts.
The meeting is open to landowners and farm operators in Boone, Dallas, Greene or Guthrie counties. Pre-registration is recommended for those requiring burn plans in order to ensure adequate staff and your farm map is available. The deadline to register for burn plans is Monday, Jan. 23.
For more information or to register, contact Chrissy Rhodes at the Guthrie County USDA NRCS Office by phone at 641-332-2812, ext. 304 or by email at Chrissy.rhodes@dnr.iowa.gov. The Perry Public Library is located at 1101 Willis Ave. in Perry.
