Grass cover on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres may not be clipped or mowed at this time. The CRP non-disturbance period occurs annually to provide habitat for nesting wildlife. The non-disturbance period or primary nesting period, as it is sometimes called, starts April 1 each year and ends Aug. 15. During this period, no maintenance activities can occur on CRP lands.
The reason is simple. Wildlife biologists have determined that this is the primary nesting period of many native birds and other wildlife. This time is required for young wildlife to develop without any interference from humans in the form of mowing or clipping grass cover or any forestry management practices like harvesting select timber on pine tree stands (thinning). While thinning of pines is a good practice for wildlife in the end, it is not permitted during this time of spring and summer.
Basically, all maintenance activities like control burns and chemical spraying to control understory growth in pine stands, any thinning activities on hardwoods and pines and clipping or Bush-Hogging of CRP is out until Aug. 15.
A grassland CRP sign-up is in progress from April 4 until May 13, 2022.
Grassland CRP protects grassland, including rangeland, pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the area as working grazing lands.
This working-lands program emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and provides an incentive for grassland under the greatest threat of conversion. Participants receive annual rental payments and C/S assistance. Grassland CRP is not eligible for sign-up incentive payments or practice incentive payments.
Grassland CRP is highly competitive and offers are ranked based on many different factors. Primarily, the danger of the grassland being converted to non-agriculture uses as is likely near high growth urban areas.
Rental rates are very low since the land maintains its working grassland status as far as grazing or other livestock use. The last several CRP grassland sign-ups have resulted in only one offer that was in a rapid growth urban areas of the state being accepted. However, the sign-up is held nationwide and made available for offers to be submitted for any county.
