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Producers participating in most programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are required to abide by certain conditions on any land owned or farmed that is highly erodible or that is considered a wetland.
To be in compliance with the highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation provisions, producers must agree, that they will not:
• Produce an agricultural commodity on highly erodible land without a conservation system;
• Plant an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland;
• Convert a wetland to make possible the production of an agricultural commodity.
Producers planning to remove fence rows, convert woodlots to cropland, combine crop fields, divide a crop field into two or more fields, install new drainage, or improve or modify existing drainage, must notify the FSA and update Form AD-1026. FSA will notify NRCS and NRCS will then provide highly erodible land or wetland technical determinations.
To get additional information on highly erodible land and wetland conservation compliance contact the FSA office or the NRCS office at a local USDA Service Center. Additional information about conservation programs offered by FSA can be found online at www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation, and information on NRCS programs can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov.

2013 State of the Birds: Report on Private Lands and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
On July 2, Secretary Vilsack and Interior Secretary Jewell released the 2013 State of the Birds: Report on Private Lands. Produced by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), the report uses eBird data to analyze the private land distribution of bird species in different habitat types. This report is very well presented and discusses in part how CRP and other conservation efforts have contributed to increased bird populations in the past two decades. The full report is available for download at http://www.stateofthebirds.org/
One of the keys to bird habitat is the continuous CRP program in MN, the restart of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Farmable Wetland Program, the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives are under way. Sign-up for continuous, non-competitive CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30, 2013.
CRP is an important program for protecting environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. Through the voluntary participation of our farmers and ranchers, CRP helps us to protect our natural resources, preserve wildlife habitat and bring good paying jobs to rural America related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years

Up-coming deadlines for 2013
• Sept. 1 - 2014 NAP Deadline - Value Loss Crops (Aquaculture, Christmas Trees, Ginseng, Turf Grass); Controlled Environment Crops (Floriculture, Mushrooms); or Fall Seeded Annual Crops (Rye)
Sept. 2 - FSA Office closed for Labor Day
• Sept. 15 - CRP Managed Harvesting & Grazing ends - remove all livestock and bales
• Sept. 25 - CRP Managed Harvesting and Grazing reporting deadline
• Sept. 30 - 2013 Expiring CRP re-enrollment deadline
• Sept. 30 - 2014 NAP Perennial Forage Crops; Select Fruits and Vegetables; or Wild Rice sales deadline
• Ongoing - Continuous CRP sign up
Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency website at: www.fsa.usda.gov/
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