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Re: eligibility for CRP program

The Conservation Reserve Program is administered by the USDA Soil
Conservation Service. Check the phone book under United States Govt. for
your local office. Contracts came up for renewal last year, but I'm not that
familiar with the program to be able to say  with certainty that it is too
late to sign up.

We are currently going through the process. Initially everyone we talked to
spoke in generalities and it sounded like a simple process.  We are working
with  the SCS office for the CRP acreage and IDNR Natural Heritage
biologists for land that will be managed for wildlife( including the CRP) .
Part of the CRP ground will be mixed hardwoods, part warm season grasses.
The trees come from the state tree nursery, and we work with a state
forester. Equipment to plant the trees and grasses may be available through
another state office. There is a cost share on the project, but it appears
any forbs we want we have to provide. My point being, there is a lot of
govt. assistance available, but you have to work really hard to coordinate
all the offices and to get them all on the same page at the same time.

 We currently have around five acres in native grasses and forbs, all local
geno-type (hand picked and planted). To get enough seed for the CRP ground
we have to buy seed, and we are having trouble finding grass seed that comes
from Illinois, let alone southern Illinois.  Right now we need a source for
semi local geno-type seed. We only need 16 lb. Little Blue Stem, twelve lb.
Big Blue Stem, and twelve lb. Indian Grass. The contract with the feds says
it must be planted by May or June. We are planting 2250 tree seedlings this
week (manually). 
Ed and Gale
Southern IL


>Regarding the conversation about planting prairie on CRP acres, I have 55 
>acres of pretty flat land in East Central Illinois which I plan to start 
>restoring to pairie in about three
>years.  I am still in the research phase; it's currently in row crops 
>(corn/soybeans).  I have assumed it would not be eligible for the CRP 
>program because it's not highly vulnerable to erosion.  Is this correct?  
>To whom should I talk and when if my land is eligible?  Thanks for your 
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