The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) offers to participate in the Kansas Nebraska Oklahoma Migratory Birds, Butterflies, and Pollinators State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) project. FSA currently is accepting offers, and qualifying farmers and landowners have until February 17, 2023, to submit them during this offer period.
“Through unique partner opportunities like this, SAFE helps restore vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals,” said FSA Nebraska State Executive Director John Berge. “In addition to supporting key species like our state bird, the Western Meadowlark, and the Monarch Butterfly, this SAFE project will provide habitat for other wildlife, including deer, game birds, waterfowl, and pollinators that have significant social and economic value.”
The following 37 counties in Nebraska are eligible for the SAFE project: Adams, Banner, Buffalo, Butler, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Custer, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Fillmore, Franklin, Frontier, Garden, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Kearney, Keith, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Nuckolls, Perkins, Phelps, Polk, Saline, Seward, Sherman, Thayer, Valley, Webster and York. Additional counties in Kansas and Oklahoma also are eligible.
FSA partners with states to conduct CRP SAFE projects that give qualifying landowners and agricultural producers an opportunity to participate in CRP with an emphasis on establishing wildlife habitat. This tri-state SAFE project is designed to improve habitat for migrating birds and beneficial insects by restoring playa wetlands. Playas are shallow depressions that fill with water after rainstorms, which provides critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife while also recharging the underlying aquifer.
This project uses a competitive bid process that allows landowners to submit an offer with an annual rental payment they are willing to accept to enroll in CRP. Contracts are for periods of 10-15 years. Minimum offer size is two acres and offers must be in the project area.
Producers who are interested in learning more about this SAFE project are encouraged to call their County FSA Office.
Currently, SAFE has 64 projects in 32 states with more than 2,580,000 acres enrolled nationally. In addition to the Migratory Bird SAFE, Nebraska also currently is taking applications for the Upland Wildlife CRP SAFE, a special initiative which was recently announced and includes 69 of the state’s counties. To learn more about how SAFE works, see the SAFE fact sheet.
