Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) have introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement and Flexibility Act. The proposed legislation aims to improve access to grazing, expand enrollment options for producers, and speed up emergency haying in response to droughts and other weather-related disasters.

Senator Thune stated, “Ensuring that CRP continues to be an effective option for producers and landowners is critical to South Dakota’s agriculture industry. As a longtime supporter of CRP, I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would help advance the multiple-use benefits of this conservation program, including wildlife habitat and livestock forage potential.”

Senator Klobuchar added, “The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat. This bipartisan legislation makes commonsense improvements to CRP that will strengthen conservation practices and landowner enrollment in this vital program.”

Warren Symens, president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA), commented on the importance of active land management: “When land sits idle, it doesn’t just go unused, it declines, and so do the small towns and rural communities that depend on active land management. Cattle are key to grassland health – enhancing habitat, improving water infiltration, and supporting carbon sequestration through grazing. Investing in fence and water infrastructure needed to graze CRP acres strengthens soil and gives producers a lifeline during drought, helping them keep their herds instead of selling off herds. SDCA thanks Senators Thune and Klobuchar for leading the charge on this important issue.”

Tom Landmark from South Dakota Ducks Unlimited said, “The Conservation Reserve Program is an important, incentive-based program that provides flexibility for farmers and ranchers to implement voluntary conservation practices on their land. We thank Senators Thune and Klobuchar for their leadership in enhancing CRP to ensure landowners can continue to get the most out of this historically successful program in South Dakota, Minnesota, and across the U.S.”

Andrew Schmidt from Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) emphasized the value of CRP: “The Conservation Reserve Program is one of our nation’s most effective tools for improving wildlife habitat, water quality, and soil health on private lands, and is a vital part of the farm safety net. The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act will make this critical program work better for farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and wildlife. PF and QF are grateful to Majority Leader Thune and Ranking Member Klobuchar for their continued leadership in strengthening CRP and ensuring it remains a cornerstone of private lands conservation.”

Key provisions within the bill include providing cost-share support for grazing infrastructure such as fencing or water distribution when included in approved plans; raising annual payment limits from $50,000—set since 1985—to $125,000; reinstating mid-contract management cost-share payments not related to haying or grazing; permanently establishing State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement under Continuous CRP; as well as allowing more flexibility by permitting emergency haying under certain conditions with state committee consultation.