permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM OFFERS POLLINATOR 
HABITAT INCENTIVES
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 17:06:09 -0700
From: Eric Mader <eric@XERCES.ORG>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

For Immediate Release
August 2, 2010

CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM OFFERS POLLINATOR HABITAT INCENTIVES

New rules passed by the USDA now offer incentives for the
establishment of pollinator habitat through the Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP). The limited time program sign-up, which opens today to
new enrollments, provides one of the largest pollinator conservation
opportunities ever in the United States.

The CRP program, first established in 1985, is the largest private
landowner conservation effort in the United States with up to 32
million acres eligible for enrollment through the USDA’s Farm Service
Agency. Program participants take highly erodible land out of crop
production, and establish permanent vegetation to protect topsoil and
provide wildlife cover. Contracts which run 10 to 15 years provide
annual rental payments on enrolled land, and cost-share assistance for
establishing vegetative cover.

New rules which go into effect today offer priority ranking for land
enrollments that include pollinator-friendly wildflowers and shrubs.
Under the current CRP enrollment system, landowners who want to
participate are ranked to prioritize enrollments that offer the most
conservation benefits. To receive a higher score on the pollinator
ranking criteria, participating farmers must plant at least 10% of the
CRP acres in wildflower parcels (or at least one acre for CRP
enrollments less than 10 acres in size).

The addition of a pollinator habitat incentive for CRP has been
promoted by numerous wildlife and pollinator conservation groups in
recent years, and the new ranking system now offers one of the largest
potential habitat creation opportunities of its kind ever for native
bees, butterflies, and managed honey bees, all of which have
experienced significant decline in recent years due to habitat loss
and other factors.

In developing the new CRP technical requirements, the USDA’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked closely with Dr. Marla
Spivak, a leading honey bee researcher based at the University of
Minnesota, and the California-based advocacy group, Partners for
Sustainable Pollination. Now, as the enrollment period for new CRP
contracts begins, the NRCS is working with the non-profit Xerces
Society for Invertebrate Conservation to develop wildflower seeding
recommendations for states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois,
Indiana, and Oregon. Those recommendations will focus on selecting
native wildflower species that are abundant pollen and nectar sources,
and that are most likely to thrive in their respective regions.

Rural landowners who are interested in more information about CRP,
including the current sign-up period which ends August 27th, should
contact their local Farm Service Agency office. For location
information, visit their web site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov .

***
Contacts:
Kathy Kellison, Executive Director, Partners for Sustainable
Pollination, k.kellison@earthlink.net, (707) 321-4711.

Eric Mader, Assistant Pollinator Program Director, The Xerces Society
for Invertebrate Conservation, eric@xerces.org, (503) 232-6639.


--
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Eric Mader
Assistant Pollinator Program Director
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Tel: 503-232-6639 Fax: 503-233-6794
Email: eric@xerces.org
Skype: eric_mader_xerces_society

Assistant Professor of Extension
University of Minnesota - Department of Entomology
Email: made0002@umn.edu

The Xerces Society is an international nonprofit organization that
protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their
habitat. Our Pollinator Conservation Program works to support the
sustainability and profitability of farms while protecting pollinator
insects. To join the Society, make a contribution, or read about our
work, please visit www.xerces.org.

Find all the information you need to conserve pollinator habitat at:
http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center/