Following the close of general signups for USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced only 1.8 million of the 4 million acres in expiring contracts will be re-enrolled in the program.
Additionally, there will only be approximately 800,000 acres in new contracts, resulting in a net loss of around 1.4 million general-signup acres.
Vilsack said the numbers indicate there is no need for CRP emergency cropping to be opened.
“The market basically responds to signals and farmers make the decision,” he said. Hence, CRP remains undersubscribed, with only 22 million acres enrolled.
The current cap is 25.5 million acres and will rise to 27 million acres in October in accordance with 2018 Farm Bill provisions.