Tag Archives: Conservation Reserve Program

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is looking to provide additional hunting and fishing opportunities on private lands through its Open Fields and Waters Program. Landowners willing to allow public, walk-in access for hunting or fishing can receive annual, per-acre payments through the program. Participating landowners are afforded liability protection through the Nebraska Recreational Liability Act. Additional financial incentives often are available for habitat improvements, such as Conservation Reserve Program enrollment or management upgrades. Game and Parks …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Producers can play a key role in conservation by enrolling acres in the Nebraska Platte-Republican Resources Area Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency have partnered with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Natural Resources Districts, and Irrigation entities in the program. Up to 100,000 acres can be enrolled in portions of Banner, Buffalo, Chase, Cheyenne, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Gosper, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Kearney, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters should expect to find pheasants in numbers similar or slightly higher than last year when the Nebraska pheasant, quail and partridge seasons open on Oct. 31. Pheasant counts were up 5% statewide, according to the July Rural Mail Carrier Survey. Notable increases were observed in the southwest and Panhandle, which should offer the best pheasant hunting opportunities and abundant public access. Quail counts during the July survey and the Whistle Count Survey were 14-16% lower compared …

C-R-P, grassland conservation and early successional habitat. When those letters and words are brought up in a conversation, chances are the ring-necked pheasant will be mentioned in a sentence or two. Yes, CRP, grassland conservation and early successional habitat and pheasants all go together, but they also go with a lot of other wildlife. You see, our family farm is enrolled in the Unites States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Conservation Reserve Program or what is referred to as the CRP. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Game and Parks Commission biologists will be actively enrolling private landowners in the Open Fields and Waters (OFW) Program in June. Through the OFW program, landowners can earn additional income for allowing walk-in hunting or fishing access on their properties. With roughly 97 percent of Nebraska’s land-base in private ownership, finding places to recreate continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing hunters and anglers. OFW helps ensure Nebraska’s rich outdoor heritage is carried forward …

LINCOLN – Many of Nebraska’s habitat programs will get a boost from recent Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-ups. More than 76,000 acres in Nebraska were enrolled or re-enrolled in CRP during the sign-up period earlier this year. This will be the first year overall CRP enrollment in Nebraska will increase since 2007. These sign-ups, combined with land already enrolled in CRP, bring the state’s total acres enrolled in CRP to 773,203. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced enrollment figures …

LINCOLN – Ag producers are invited to attend a free informational meeting about what the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can offer them. The meetings are being held across the state through January. The General CRP Signup runs through Feb. 26. Soil rental rates have increased significantly in some areas. Learn about the new rates, as well as other CRP options. Reserve a spot in a meeting by contacting your local USDA office. Visit NebraskaPF.com or CRPsignup.com for more information. The …

LINCOLN – Agriculture producers are encouraged to visit their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to see what continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) opportunities are available. Continuous CRP is a great option for those areas of a farm that are underperforming or difficult to farm. This is also a great time to consider enrollment in the General CRP Sign-up, which starts Dec. 1. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and other partners offer a variety of additional incentives that can …

“Laws change; people die; the land remains.” – Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States.  Farmers, I am one of you. I am a landowner. I manage our nearly 150 year-old family farm here in southeastern Nebraska. No, I am not some crazy, wild conservationist just because I work for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. I am a crazy, wild conservationist because I am a progressive Nebraska landowner who has farmed his best ground and conserved the rest of it. Over the years I have …

“Pollination is one of the most important mechanisms in the maintenance and promotion of biodiversity and, in general, life on Earth. Pollination benefits society by increasing food, security and improving livelihoods.” – Convention on Biological Diversity, Sustaining Life on Earth.   We are in the midst of National Pollinator Habitat Week (June 15-21) here in Nebraska and elsewhere in this great country. I am promoting it and proud to say that our family farm in southeastern Nebraska is enrolled entirely …