Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever and
Quail Forever’s Director of Government Affairs Andrew
Schmidt to discuss the current Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP) signup and its relevance for bird hunters.
There are currently 1.8 million acres available for CRP
enrollment this fiscal year with a signup underway right
now through June 6th. Schmidt also discusses new proposals
aimed at improving CRP and increasing funding for walk-in
access programs.
Episode Highlights:
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Schmidt examines how bird populations have correlated
with CRP acreage since the program began in 1985 and
emphasizes the role of CRP acres in increasing public
access through state walk-in programs.
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The discussion covers a range of benefits provided by
CRP, including contributions to rural economies via
wildlife habitat, enhancement of water resources and
soil health, and risk mitigation for farmers and
ranchers.
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Schmidt outlines the distinctions between general CRP,
continuous CRP, CREP, and other signups, and explains
how the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive
Program (VPA-HIP) increases public access for bird
hunters.