USDA offers new CRP forest management incentive

​The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making $12 million available to forest landowners with land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Landowners and agricultural producers with active CRP contracts involving forest cover can now sign up for the Forest Management Incentive (FMI), which provides financial incentives to encourage healthy forest management practices.
The incentive payment is the lower of:

• The actual cost of completing the practice; or
• 75% of the payment rate offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) if the practice is offered through NRCS conservation programs.

CRP signup began Jan. 19, 2021. FSA will announce deadline later this year. Interested producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office.