(NAFB) – Agricultural producers and landowners can sign up soon for the Conservation Reserve Program.

The Department of Agriculture calls CRP a key tool in the Biden-Harris Administration effort to address climate change and achieve other natural resource benefits. The General CRP signup begins January 31 and remains open through March 11, and the Grassland CRP signup runs from April 4 to May 13. Producers and landowners enrolled 4.6 million acres into CRP signups in 2021, including 2.5 million acres in the largest Grassland CRP signup in history.

There are currently 22.1 million acres enrolled, and FSA aims to reach the 25.5-million-acre cap statutorily set for fiscal year 2022. General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat.

Farmers and landowners interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or apply for the program.