Wild Flowers

[skent]

We have been renting our farmland (aprox 35 acres tilled) to a neighbor (farmer "X") who now is planning to end their lease this fall (maybe). Offical access to our farm is limited to a 8' wide driveway throught woods and across a right-of-way (no way to widen this) . The only other way on or off is across a field road that farmer "X" owns. He has already said he would not allow other farmers to utilize the field road for the purpose of working our property. This puts us in the position of having land that we cannot rent out to anyone but farmer "X".

I receintly heard of a federal program (but no one else can confirm or deny) that will help with the cost of planting "wildflowers and saplings" in order to maintain refuge for birds and wildlife, and pay rent for your land. All you have to do is agree to bush hog the entire area twice a year.

Does anyone on the board have any knowledge of this or is it the famous indian rope trick? (everyone has heard of it, but no one has actually done it)

Someone referred to it as the "creeps" program.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Farmer X sounds like a P R I C K.........

Here in Indiana you can put part of your land to a nature preserve and not pay taxes on it. Not sure of your planned use of the land but might be an option if you love nature.....
Tom

 

[stmiller2]

Steve,

Check with local Natural Resource and Conservation Service(NRCS) office -- a part of the USDA. They can advise you about federal wildlife/conservation programs. You could also contact your local state forester for forestation assistance.

 

[Wingnut]

here in Michigan they're always pushing the use of land for preserves too ... but as Who's Your Daddy noted ... all they want to do is save you some tax bucks .... not pay you.

 

[stmiller2]

As I understand it, the new Farm Bill includes expanded funding for conservation programs, including wildlife habitat improvement. These programs typically involve cost-sharing: you pay part & the government pays part. Again, it is worth checking with the NRCS to determine what is available.

Even if you don't want to participate in cost-sharing, they should provide you with a farm plan to help in your soil conservation, habitat improvement, etc. efforts.

 

[skent]

Just answered my own question.

Called the CREP program. (Federal) (Conservation Resources Enhansment Program). Pays 87% of the cost to plant either wildflowers or saplings. Then pays 120.00 per acre per year and locks in for either 10 or 15 years.

Sounds like the way to go.

 

[stmiller2]

Steve,

My understanding is that acceptance into the CREP program is not automatic -- you have to meet certain criteria in order to qualify.

 

[TAB]

Boy am I glad you said that, I am going to see if it's offered in our county. I'm in a CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) through the FSA office, but our contract is a rent based on previous crops grown. We get an average of $55 an acre for the 81 acres we have enrolled. The newer CRP is mostly designed to take marginal (wet) farmland out of production and to enhance habitat. There are things we can and can't do to the property if it is in this program. I have a few more years but I wouldn't mind $120 per acre if I could switch programs.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Re: Conservation Programs

Here's the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/default.htm>website</A> for information about the various USGA programs available. I talked to the FSA agent in the next county over, and he says CREP isn't available in Texas, but EQIP is. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I'll be checking it out.