Donnelly, Thune Urge USDA to Maximize Conservation Reserve Program Participation

Press Release

U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and John Thune (R-SD) led a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack to emphasize Congress' continued support of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and encourage the USDA to provide adequate enrollment periods for eligible landowners to participate, including a general signup this fiscal year.

Donnelly said, "The Conservation Reserve Program is critical to reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and providing wildlife habitats. This program helps both our agriculture businesses and conservation efforts. That is why my Senate colleagues and I are urging the USDA to make sure that eligible landowners have every opportunity to participate. I appreciate the opportunity to work with Senator Thune on this bipartisan effort."

Thune said, "CRP has evolved over the past 30 years into a versatile soil and water conservation and wildlife habitat program, that also provides a solid economic alternative for farmers in place of producing expensive crops on marginal land. Because general CRP signups account for the highest percentage of enrolled acres and are the most cost-effective, we need a general CRP signup each year to keep enrollment at its maximum level."

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