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Iowa’s ag secretary sees ‘multiple wins’ in updating Conservation Reserve Program

Iowa’s Ag Secretary sees several wins for farmers if reforms are made to the Conservation Reserve Program.

Mike Naig says CRP should reflect today’s realities in agriculture.

“And what do I mean by that? We are working heavily, mightily, aggressively towards improving soil conservation (and) improving water quality. And what that means is we would like to be able to continue to have working lands.”

He tells Brownfield land seeded to CRP that cattle could graze on is a necessary next step.

“Could we hay, could we graze those acres? Get the environmental benefit that we need (and) sure, get a payment for folks that they might be interested in. But also have those lands remain working lands that can be productive and can help build our beef herd.”

Naig says CRP also benefits habitat for wildlife and pollinators like monarch butterflies.

“So I mean, how many wins can you stack together? So that’ll continue to be our focus frankly is that we would like to see reforms to the CRP program in a way that has it continue to, or has it move in the direction of working lands.”

Under standard CRP contracts, grazing and haying is prohibited unless specifically authorized by USDA’s Farm Service Agency.