Scott Heffernan, Executive Director for the Atascosa County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), announced that continuous sign-up for the Highly Erodible Land Initiative under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) started recently. Offers will be accepted until either the state acreage allocation limit is reached or September 30, 2012, whichever occurs first.

Heffernan said, “This initiative will accept offers with an erosion rate of at least 20 tons per acre per year for new cropland or CRP acres that expire on September 30, 2012; however, existing grass stands that are not considered expiring CRP will not be considered eligible.”

Producers can stop by the Atascosa County FSA office to determine if their land qualifies for the Highly Erodible Land Initiative and to receive additional location-specific details. CRP contracts set to expire on September 30, 2012, may be offered for consideration and approved contracts will become effective October 1, 2012, and are also valid for 10 years.

For more information, please contact the Atascosa County FSA Office at 830- 569-3845 ext 2 or visit http:// www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.