We just found this press release at the USDA's web site: USDA ENROLLS 1 MILLIONTH ACRE IN CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM:
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner today announced that USDA has enrolled the one millionth acre in its nationwide Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The one millionth acre is in Minnesota; the first CREP acre was enrolled in Maryland in 1997.
Conner made the announcement at USDA Headquarters at a ceremony where Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Teresa Lasseter and other USDA officials, Congressman Tim Holden (D-PA), Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN), landowners of the first and one millionth CREP acres, CREP partners and others gathered to celebrate the achievement. Congressman Holden is Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research. Congressman Walz represents the district where the one millionth CREP acre was enrolled. . . .
. . .Last fall, when Steve and Margaret Lange enrolled 60 acres in CREP at the Pipestone County FSA Service Center in Pipestone, Minn., USDA's CREP surpassed the 1 million acre mark. The 60 acres were part of a 120,000-acre CREP project in parts of northwest, southeast and southwestern Minnesota. The Langes established riparian buffers and filter strips to protect Pipestone Creek, which winds through the couple's property, by reducing sediment and erosion from the current. In addition, the conservation practices reduce flooding impacts, enhance wildlife and improve overall water quality. The Langes are part of the highly successful efforts in Minnesota to protect water quality in the Missouri River watershed and restore wildlife habitat.
Comments