CRP could see large payment increase in bipartisan bill

[Wild Bill]

"The bill would increase the annual payment limitation from $50,000, which was established in1985, to $125,000 to account for inflation and rising land values."

Happy to see the proposed increase. Hopefully it doesn't get whittled down too far. For a lot of us in the Northern Great Plains and the Upper Midwest much of our wildlife depend on CRP habitat.

Thune files bipartisan bill to strengthen federal conservation program

 

[Treeshark]

I would like to see more funding coming from the state level for these programs.

 

[El Jason]

 

[Forkyfinder]

Im almost never with treecarp - but i will say some of the CRP land is a sheer waste.

A lot of monocrop agriculture would be returned to pasture via economics if it werent for the great deal that is gov subsidized crop insurance.

 

[SAJ-99]

"The bill would increase the annual payment limitation from $50,000, which was established in1985, to $125,000 to account for inflation and rising land values."

Happy to see the proposed increase. Hopefully it doesn't get whittled down too far. For a lot of us in the Northern Great Plains and the Upper Midwest much of our wildlife depend on CRP habitat.

Thune files bipartisan bill to strengthen federal conservation program

Same bill they introduced in 2022, and it died.

 

[TOGIE]

A lot of monocrop agriculture would be returned to pasture via economics if it werent for the great deal that is gov subsidized crop insurance.

or, seeing no value in pasture absent crp, the pressure to sell, subdivide, and develop rural homeowner bliss increases.

 

[Forkyfinder]

or, seeing no value in pasture absent crp, the pressure to sell, subdivide, and develop rural homeowner bliss increases.

I suppose thats true, especially close to population centers.

For some perspective - the fed govt spends 1.8 billion on the crp program. 2025 appropriations have 1.6 billion for ALL of the BLM budget.

 

[SAJ-99]

I suppose thats true, especially close to population centers.

For some perspective - the fed govt spends 1.8 billion on the crp program. 2025 appropriations have 1.6 billion for ALL of the BLM budget.

Cuts to USAID and SNAP programs are going to hit farmers. This bill might have a chance now because of that. You have to buy votes somehow.

 

[SAJ-99]

I would like to see more funding coming from the state level for these programs.

Just to throw together some numbers, SD population is about 1m. Latest CRP payments come up as $130m, so they need to tax every citizen $130 each year to maintain the program. SD doesn't have an income tax and most revenue comes from a sales tax and property tax and latest FY budget was $2.4B in revenue. With its 4% sales tax, SD would need to sell $3.25B more in goods to raise the $130m. That is $3250 per person when the median individual income is $40,000 (household $70,000). See how this gets impossible fast?

CRP is wealth distribution with a condition (conservation). Money goes from high population areas to low population areas. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Treeshark]

See how this gets impossible fast?

Nope. Lots of levers to pull to solve this simple math problem that aren’t being pulled.

Wildlife management is best left to the states. Part of that management includes the privledge of paying for it.

 

[TOGIE]

Nope. Lots of levers to pull to solve this simple math problem that aren’t being pulled.

Wildlife management is best left to the states. Part of that management includes the privledge of paying for it.

oh to live in a world of black and white.

must be bliss.

 

[Forkyfinder]

CRP is wealth distribution with a condition (conservation).

This my chief complaint. For the investment - its not yielding a lot of results (for conservation) beyond making people with existing assets more money and those assets worth more money.

 

[Treeshark]

oh to live in a world of black and white.

must be bliss.

It is!

I fought the pull for years, but finding out that the “wildlife belongs to the states” mantra so common here on Hunt Talk cuts both ways has been a real revelation

 

[SAJ-99]

Nope. Lots of levers to pull to solve this simple math problem that aren’t being pulled.

Wildlife management is best left to the states. Part of that management includes the privledge of paying for it.

Seems like Fantasyland. The issue isn't that it is not possible to make the math work. The problem is making it politically palatable. If you want to walk me through one of those levers that "isn't being pulled" I will happily look at it. I guess you could charge a NR $1500 for a pheasant license?

The $130M CRP payment was without the proposed increase and a pretty steady loss in CRP acreage from the peak.

 

[Treeshark]

If you want to walk me through one of those levers that "isn't being pulled" I will happily look at it. I guess you could charge a NR $1500 for a pheasant license?

I was thinking $250k each for a few bighorn tags would be a nice start, but you’re on the right track

Remind me again why SD can’t have an income tax…?

 

[Steiny77]

I've had ground in CRP for over 30 years. My last ground enrolled expires end of this year and I'll have to decide if I want to re-enroll something.
The federal government is a pretty poor steward of money. I've got ground planted in tall grasses that generates a $296 / acre annual income from CRP. Pretty ridiculous when cash rent to put it in row crops runs around $200-250 in this neighborhood. Doesn't make much sense that the government pays more to grow grasses than a farmer would pay to grow row crops.

 

[El Jason]

CRP isn’t just about wildlife. It’s also about soil erosion and water quality.

 

[sclancy27]

Having worked for an agency that administrates CRP and other Farm Bill programs it's hard for me to be positive about it. The most wasteful agency (and I've worked for many) I've worked for and with administered "aid" or "programs" to ag producers. IME, there are occasional feel-good projects but most are glorified money grabs.

 

[Forkyfinder]

It is!

I fought the pull for years, but finding out that the “wildlife belongs to the states” mantra so common here on Hunt Talk cuts both ways has been a real revelation

I get your frustration. I will very likely never be able to hunt where i grew up doing it. I dont get your inability to see issues beyond whether you can get a permit to hunt or not.

I hope you can bring some insight to the conversation beyond the state vs fed thing. Those threads dont really bring much as far as new thoughts/ideas only bickering and bitching we have all heard.

If i were king for a day - id be more inclined to make crp contingent on being enrolled in a state access program for recreation. Heres the top 5 states - i imagine accessing those private lands is quite costly for the people who are footing the bill for the CRP program.

Colorado: 2.78 million acres
South Dakota: 2.39 million acres
Texas: 2.157 million acres
Nebraska: 2.2 million acres
Kansas: 1.95 million acres

 

[Forkyfinder]

CRP isn’t just about wildlife. It’s also about soil erosion and water quality.

How about changing regulations? Perhaps following the same ones every other industry does?

Its pretty comical seeing all the storm water quality controls that cost hundreds/thousands to maintain on a construction site - all for the field next to it to be bare and open with no stubble.