Photo courtesy of the NY Times.
December 23 marked the 25th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through the United States Department of Agriculture.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the momentous occasion to remember the historic signing of the Food Security Act of 1985. The act created the CRP for the protection of erodible land.
“CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation’s natural resources through voluntary participation,” said Vilsack via press release. “Although it was designed to address soil erosion, CRP has become one of the standouts in the USDA arsenal of conservation programs by continuing to provide significant economic and environmental benefits beyond its original intent.”
At the time of creation, soil erosion surpassed 3 billion tons per year. Not only was the land brittle, but wetlands were being drained and water quality was poor. Wildlife populations felt the stress caused by the loss of their homes. The program has reduced soil erosion by 622 million tons protecting the land and wildlife. Over 2 million acres of wetlands were restored as well.
The CRP is managed by the Farm Service Agency.
For more information on the CRP contact Farm Plus today at 866-929-5585 or visit . 
Written by: Melissa Warner / Farm Plus Staff Writer