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Bottom Ground CRP

Hardwood11

Hardwood11

It is going to be a good fall!
I am very familiar with the CRP programs in MN, but not as much in Iowa. There is a program in which you can enroll bottom ground tillable acres into CRP. Can anyone explain the qualifications and some of the options (native grasses or trees, etc...) Thanks
 
I have bottom ground in CRP. I get a great CRP payment of $144/acre. I would assume you need to know when there's a sign-up (not sure if you have an NRCS office you can call in MN?). I would imagine they will want a crop history.

I chose to put mine in Cave In Rock Switchgrass. I have MOSTLY buffer strips but a couple fields too. CIR does well in bottom ground. In other areas I did lots of other varieties of NWSG's & forbs. Obviously just pick trees and grasses that do well in low ground (possible flooding?). Trees could be swamp oaks, willows, many types of shrubs, cedars MIGHT do ok depending on how wet, etc, etc. Good luck!
 
Riparian buffers can be signed in thru the continuous CRP but there is a width restriction so may not allow for a whole field signup.

Check this thread for more details :

Conservation Cost Share Programs

As Skip mentioned there are options but NWSG is the most common method of establishing cover and controlling erosion along streams and drainages.

Best bet is always to talk to the NRCS folks or contact Dave Whittlesey
Regional NWTF Wildlife Biologist in the link mentioned above because he is writing habitat/CRP programs for the landowners to take to the NRCS. :way:
 
Ask your local NRCS office about the Continuous CRP practice CP23 ... I just enrolled an entire field (55 acres) into that on my new farm at $203.00/acre, 90% cost share plus $150/acre sign on bonus for a 15 year contract. If your field qualifies, it is probably what you want. The only drawback is no foodplots ... so I left out 2 acres from the program.
 
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Hardwood11 said:
FarmlandQDM: That is a great rateper acre, did you plant switch? Thanks.
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I'm lucky, even though it floods frequently, I have two very good soil types that really pays a good rental rate, plus this practice has the 20% rental rate bonus. As for what I planted ... I just enrolled it 3 weeks ago ...

You have the option of planting native grass or trees with this practice.

I will be planting about 5 acres of pin oak, swamp white oak, hackberry, shellbark hickory and walnut, 0.25 acre of american plum, and 1.5 acres of sandbar willow this spring. During the summer I will build two flapgate structures to hold the water in after a flood. This fall I will plant about 2000 prairie cordgrass plugs, and then next winter I will frost seed about 25 acres of CIR switchgrass, and virginia wild rye ... if everything goes as planned.

Although CIR switchgrass is awsome bedding for deer, I am not a big fan of it because I have known too many landowners that have planted switch, done everything right with management, and then it starts to fade out after ten years or so. There are several theories out there why this happens but nobody seems to understand the problem. The only reason I am planting it on my property is because it will give me the height I desire early and withstand flooding, but my hope is in time the prairie cordgrass will take over if the switchgrass starts to fade.

If you are interested in the CP23, I would ask about it soon ... there is a limited number of acres alotted for this practice within Iowa and I felt fortunate to get in.
 
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When I had my ground measured for CP 23 they told me native grass only. All woody vegatation must be controlled. No food plots or trees/shrubs allowed. If I wanted to plant trees/shrubs or do food plots I had to exclude those acres. They said that there was a continous bottom land hardwood restoration CRP program that you could enroll in if you wanted to plant trees but if I remember correctly the payments were for 15 years and the tree restoration acres could never be put back into production after the 15 years were up. CP 23 was native grass only and could be returned to production after the CRP contract expired. The more I talk/read what people say about some CRP programs the more I question the knowledge of some of the people at the NRCS/FSA. I have had 3 people in the same building NRCS, FSA, and DNR private lands consultant all give me different information that contradicted the others. FarmlandQDM, do you have all of yours in CP 23 or are the acres in hardwoods a different program. The NRCS ok'd planting sandbar willows? I would guess Sligh's buffer strips are probably CP 21 and have different rules than the CP 23 because according to my NRCS they said you can plant any shrubs/trees on it you wanted and can drive/or turn equipment around on CP 21. Can someone clarify the rules you were told by your NRCS/FSA on the CP 21 and CP 23. I would like to hear what you guys are being told by the different offices on these two CRP progams.
 
iowaqdm said:
Can someone clarify the rules you were told by your NRCS/FSA on the CP 21 and CP 23. I would like to hear what you guys are being told by the different offices on these two CRP progams.
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If you work with CRP in different areas you will realize that the rules of CRP, to some degree, are based on local interpretation. I have helped landowners with CRP in several counties in IA, MO, and one in IL and it has always amazed me how a federal program can be interpreted and implemented so differently from county to county even within the same state.

IowaQDM, it is pretty obvious that the county you are working in is biased against tree planting in crop ground ... there is no CRP program that requires you to walk away from future crop production or additional programs at the end of a contract. I once delt with a county FSA director in MO that told me as long as he was in charge there would never be a CRP windbreak in his county, but there is one now. Fighting your county FSA or NRCS on rule interpretation can bring you many years of a difficult relationships though so you may want to think about what it is worth to you.

To answer your other question IowaQDM, the tree plantings I described are all within my CP23 contract, including the sandbar willow with 90% cost share. I am fortunate to have a good NRCS/FSA staff to work with.
 
FarmlandQDM said:
Ask your local NRCS office about the Continuous CRP practice CP23 ... I just enrolled an entire field (55 acres) into that on my new farm at $203.00/acre, 90% cost share plus $150/acre sign on bonus for a 15 year contract. If your field qualifies, it is probably what you want. The only drawback is no foodplots ... so I left out 2 acres from the program.
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Dang Rob...thought you had been captured by aliens or something! Glad to see you posting here again...:way:

Sweet deal on the CP-23!

If you work with CRP in different areas you will realize that the rules of CRP, to some degree, are based on local interpretation. I have helped landowners with CRP in several counties in IA, MO, and one in IL and it has always amazed me how a federal program can be interpreted and implemented so differently from county to county even within the same state
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I couldn't agree more and that's why I urge landowners to do a little homework and don't be afraid to question what your told.

The NRCS folks are good people but...human too...:)
 
Crp

Although, I am hearing of many landowners taking CRP out and farming it again, it is refreshing to hear that the Continuous CRP is competitive with cash rent and landowners are taking advantage of it. Personally, I think the continuous CRP is the way to go, General CRP sign ups just do not seem to be competitive with rates and there are no bonus payments and limited cost share.

Thanks guys for great information!:way:
 
For the CP23 has anyone been required to dig out some low areas to build nesting areas for waterfowl? I'm looking at a plan now, and I'm not sure if I like that part of it.
 
dbltree said:
Dang Rob...thought you had been captured by aliens or something! Glad to see you posting here again...:way:
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No Paul ... not aliens ... just been working way too much and trying to keep up with my properties gives me little time for posting.


MK M GOBL ... you shouldn't be required to dig anywhere for a CP23, but creating a few "potholes" will bring more diversity to your wetland. I would not build a wetland without trying to enhance the water holding of the property in some way, but if you just don't want to do any digging, a very powerful argument to use is your concern about protecting the hydric veneer that keeps the water in your field. Most DC's are aware how difficult it can be to dig "potholes" and not cut through that veneer into a sand seam resulting in a dry wetland for many years, especially if you are along a river. Tell your DC you don't want to risk losing the water holding capability of your field.
 
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