DNR News Releases

Search for a News Release

Press/Media inquiries: PIO@dnr.iowa.gov

DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: CRPReturn

USDA announces Conservation Reserve Program general signup for 2024

• 3/5/2024 12:02:00 PM
• View Count 3193

DES MOINES, Iowa – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting March 4 and running through March 29, 2024.

Landowner adds trees and shrubs to enhance, diversify Allamakee County century farm

• 8/29/2023 2:03:00 PM
• View Count 2855

Sandy Koehring was cautious when making changes to the family farm. After all, the Postville-native was born and raised here and it’s been in the family for more than 110 years. So, when she decided to convert part of her land into trees, she started small.

Harsh winter across North Iowa is reminder habitat is critical for wildlife survival

• 2/7/2023 8:24:00 PM
• View Count 6303

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) is a nationwide Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice within the continuous sign-up administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Special wildlife practices available thru Conservation Reserve Program

• 2/8/2022 1:20:00 PM
• View Count 2096

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) offers several programs for landowners to enroll environmentally sensitive farmland into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Conservation Reserve Program general signup open through Feb. 12

• 1/12/2021 12:35:00 PM
• View Count 2689

Iowa has about 45,000 acres enrolled in general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts expiring this fall and all of it is eligible to reenroll as part of the recently opened 56th general CRP signup. The sign up is open through Feb. 12.

DNR assistance available for landowners interested in CRP

• 1/28/2020 3:32:00 PM
• View Count 2533

Landowners interested in enrolling a portion of their land into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup have until Feb. 28 to write an offer. The general signup came out of the 2018 Farm Bill that increased the cap of acres enrolled from 22 million acres to 27 million.

CRP signup has begun

• 1/14/2020 2:47:00 PM
• View Count 3067

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opened general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through February 28, 2020. Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive a yearly rental payment for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands.

Pollinators, wildlife benefit from landowners bringing prairie back to the landscape

• 1/14/2020 2:45:00 PM
• View Count 5008

Virginia Ekstrand is always in motion. From taking ‘ology trips out west with her grandkids to learning how to become a master naturalist, this retired school teacher never stops moving. On this late August morning, she is firing on all cylinders when talking about her latest project of reconstructing a 16-acre prairie on her heritage farm in Henry County.

USDA reopens continuous CRP signup, extensions also available to expiring general and continuous contracts

• 7/2/2019 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 3030

WASHINGTON – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting applications for certain practices under the continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup and will offer extensions for expiring CRP contracts. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized CRP, one of the country’s largest conservation programs.

Latest CRP continuous signup offers well-timed management solution for waterlogged Iowa farmers

• 7/3/2018 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 13232

Heavy rainfall in late spring and early summer has caused widespread ponding and flooding in northwest and north-central Iowa, but a recently announced continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup provides farmers a well-timed opportunity to find long-term solutions for these problem spots in their fields.

Continuous Conservation Reserve Program signup reopens until August 17

• 6/12/2018 11:53:00 AM
• View Count 3981

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has re-opened the signup window for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) until Aug. 17, 2018. An estimated 1.3 million acres is available nationally to be enrolled.

Iowa awarded 115,000 acres in Conservation Reserve Program for water quality, pollinator, and wildlife habitat improvements

• 1/4/2017 11:50:00 AM
• View Count 19579

Iowa has received an additional 115,000 acres that can be enrolled in the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for critical wildlife and water quality efforts.

49th General CRP Signup Underway

• 1/21/2016 6:55:00 AM
• View Count 5083

DES MOINES – Late in December the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the 49th general signup for the popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Adding Habitat Important to Grow Pheasant Numbers

• 10/6/2015 12:00:00 PM
• View Count 4257

Iowa pheasants have enjoyed a good two-year run of milder winters leading to the highest bird numbers since 2008, but that run of good luck can’t last forever. Weather and habitat are keys to bird survival and over the last eight years Iowa has lost 500,000 acres of CRP statewide.