Marion County Farm Service Agency recently issued more than $674,000 in Conservation Reserve Program payments to 942 contract eligible producers in the county.
These payments represent annual rental payments earned on 16,389 acres enrolled in the CRP for fiscal year 2008.
Marion County currently has 701 contracts on 409 farms. The number of contracts is higher than the number of farms because producers may have multiple contracts on a single farm.
Earned payments for CRP are disbursed by electronic funds transfer or direct deposit into the producer?s chosen financial accounts. A disbursement transaction statement is mailed to each contract shareholder itemizing payment amounts.
Other CRP payments are made throughout the year, including a 50 percent reimbursement of expenses for establishing cover and incentive payments for enrolling eligible conservation practices, such as wetland restorations and conservation buffers.
Across the nation, more than $1.7 billion in CRP payments are being made on 34.7 million acres.
The CRP works cooperatively with America?s farmers and ranchers to conserve and preserve the soil and water that we, and numerous wildlife species, depend on for survival.
These payments represent an investment in the nation?s land that will pay dividends in the form of a cleaner environment today as well as in the future.
Bill Harmon is executive director of the Marion County FSA office.
