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USDA Secretary Announces New CRP Signup

Omaha, Nebraska -- At Pheasants Forever's National Pheasant Fest, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced plans for a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup. The last two CRP general signups have been announced by the Secretary in conjunction with Pheasants Forever's signature event.

The Secretary acknowledged Pheasant Fest as a fitting place to celebrate CRP during the program's 25th year and remarked on CRP's importance to farmers, ranchers, wildlife, hunters and everyone concerned about America's soils and water quality. He said the 2011 CRP general signup would occur from March 14 to April 15 targeting up to 4 million acres for acceptance. The Secretary reiterated the importance of keeping CRP near its 32 million acre cap (approximately 31 million acres are currently enrolled).

"Over the past 25 years, support for CRP has grown thanks to strong backing from partners like Pheasants Forever, farmers, ranchers, conservationists, hunters, fishermen and other outdoor sports enthusiasts," said Vilsack. "Not only has CRP contributed to the national effort to improve water and air quality, it has preserved habitat for wildlife, and prevented soil erosion by protecting the most sensitive areas including those prone to flash flooding and runoff. Today's announcement continues the Obama Administration's effort to conserve sensitive areas and improve wildlife habitat."

Vilsack made the announcement from the Pheasant Fest show floor blanketed by a contingent of Nebraska Pheasants Forever members and landowners that had gathered to celebrate Pheasants Forever's 3 million acres of wildlife habitat improvements in the state. Such habitat success wouldn't have been possible without CRP, as the program has allowed Pheasants Forever to impact habitat planning (Pheasants Forever employs nine Farm Bill Wildlife Biologists in Nebraska that work with private landowners to enroll them in conservation programs), implementation (Pheasants Forever supplies CRP grass seed mixes and seed drills), management (Pheasants Forever helps with prescribed burning to rejuvenate old grasslands) and even hunting (CRP-MAP is a program with Pheasants Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission that improves habitat while providing statewide public access for walk-in hunting).

"It's been a great day for the birds," remarked Howard Vincent, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever. "On the day we thank the chapters, agency partners, and landowners of Nebraska for reaching the three million acre milestone, Secretary Vilsack joins us with news that will help create millions more acres of habitat next year through CRP. We are very pleased."

"The recipe to three million acres of habitat improvements has been dedicated volunteers and stalwart partners," explained Pete Berthelsen, Pheasants Forever Senior Field Coordinator and the organization's primary representative for Nebraska since 1991. "A new CRP general signup will allow that dedication to start on the next 3 million acres."

Last February at Pheasant Fest in Des Moines, the Secretary announced the first CRP general signup since 2004 and also reallocated new acres into practices targeting habitat improvements for quail, ducks and state-specific wildlife initiatives. Last summer, the USDA accepted 4.3 million acres worth of new CRP contracts from the 4.8 million acres offered during the 27-day signup period.

About Nebraska Pheasants Forever
The Elkhorn Valley Chapter in Madison, Stanton, and Pierce Counties was Nebraska's first chapter of Pheasants Forever, having formed on March 4, 1986. The following spring, Pheasants Forever improved 2,857 acres in Nebraska. From those humble begins, Pheasants Forever now completes about 3,900 habitat projects annually in the state. Those projects include wetland restorations, nesting cover establishments, land acquisitions, prescribed burning maintenance and winter cover plantings. Today, Nebraska boasts 60 Pheasants Forever chapters, 4 Quail Forever chapters and 10,000 members.

Contact:
Anthony Hauck (651) 209-4972