FSA is offering a signup under Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands that began on June 4, 2018. Ranking factors have been updated from previous signups.

Learn more about this CRP Grasslands signup.

Read our June 1, 2018 news release .

F1 – Current and Future Use: (0 to 30 points)

Factor F1 encourages continued usage of the land, and retains the benefits of expiring CRP land using 2 sub factors the formula for F1 = F1a + F1b.

• F1a – Expiring CRP: (0 to 20 points)

This sub factor rewards owners who continue to maintain and use land that is currently in CRP general signup in an environmentally sustainable way. Keeping these acreages in grass covers will help preserve a majority of the benefits established under general CRP.

Assign 20 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is currently expiring general CRP in the last year of CCC CRP-1.  If the offer has less than 50 percent of the offer, prorate the 20 points based on the percentage of the offer that is expiring CRP.

• F1b – Small Scale Livestock Operation: (0 or 10 points)

Assign 10 points if the producer certifies on the CRP-2G-1 that they meet eligibility as a Small Scale Livestock operation. Otherwise, assign 0 points.

F2 - Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged, Veteran Farmers and Ranchers: (0 to 10 points)

For this factor assign 10 points if at least 50 percent of the CRP-1 shares are earned by a producer(s) meeting the requirements of the CCC-860. Otherwise, assign 0 points.

Beginning Farmers that served as a member of the armed forces can also check the “Veterans” block on the CRP-2G.

F3 – Maximizing Grassland Preservation: (0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 points)

For this factor assign 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 points. If over 50 percent of the offered acreage is in a county under threat of conversion as determined by DAFP.

F4 - Vegetative Cover: (0 to 30 points)

This factor evaluates based on the covers on the acres offered. FSA or TSP shall only allow covers that are suitable for the site designated for the offer.

F4 values are determined by calculating the weighted average score for all practices in Table 1.

F5 - Environmental Factors: (0 to 10 points)

This factor is designed to help producers address acreages that are known to be in areas of designated candidate, threatened, or endangered species or critical habit. The formula for F5 = F5a + F5b.

• F5a - Wildlife Priority Zones (0 or 5 points)

CRP grassland will use the existing State wildlife priority zones identified for CRP general signup.  For this factor assign 5 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is within an approved State wildlife priority zone. Otherwise, assign 0 points.

• F5b - State Priority Enrollment Criteria (0 or 5 points)

State Technical Committee’s shall submit geographic areas (whole counties) to address the specific conservation practices and the species of concern or specific habitat restoration; such as tall grass prairie, that would be addressed by CRP grassland practice and/or components to CEPD for approval.

For this factor assign 5 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is in a State CRP grassland zone.  Otherwise, assign 0 points.

F6 – Cost: (0 or 25 points)

Factor F6 is designed to optimize the environmental benefits per dollar for CRP rental payments. The formula for F6 = F6a + F6b. The maximum points for F6 is 25 points.

• F6a - Cost

If the maximum CRP Grassland rental rate for a county is $15 or less, then the offer will receive 15 points. Otherwise, assign 0 points.

• F6b - Offer Less Than Maximum Payment Rate (0 to 25 points)

Offers submitted with a rental rate equal to the maximum payment rate will receive 0 points. Offers submitted below the maximum payment rate will receive points according to the corresponding value in Table 2.

Ranking Factors Threshold for Acceptance

After the close of the each CRP grassland batching period, FSA will rank all eligible offers based on their total point score for that offer.  The Secretary of Agriculture will then determine the ranking point threshold used to accept offers for the batching period.

Making CRP Grassland Offers More Competitive

Offer competition is expected to be significant and only CRP grassland offers ranking high enough to be accepted will move forward toward enrollment.

To make offers more competitive, producers should consider all the ranking factors as well as the existing cover for the acreage offered.

FSA also encourages producers to consult NRCS or authorized TSP regarding steps to take to maximize their offers ranking factor points to increase the likelihood that the offer will be accepted.