USDA to Make Payments to ND Farmers & Ranchers

North Dakota State Executive Director Aaron Krauter announced that approximately $310.8 million in payments, including $91.4 million in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) rental payments and $219.4 in direct payments will be made to North Dakota agricultural producers this month.

In 2012, North Dakota producers had more than 32,000 contracts covering over 2.39 million acres of land enrolled in CRP.  The voluntary program helps farmers and ranchers safeguard environmentally sensitive land and provides habitat for game and non-game species.

Final direct payments are made through the Direct and Counter-cyclical (DCP) and Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Programs, which provide payments to producers of certain commodities based on planting history and established yields.  Participants in the programs in North Dakota have enrolled 19.1 million acres of cropland.  About 94 percent of producers in North Dakota participate in the two programs. 

Producers reported about 22.4 million acres of annually planted crops to Farm Service Agency for the 2012 crop year.  Just 163,000 acres were reported as prevented planting, down from the 2011 record of 5.6 million acres and the 10 year average of 1.6 million acres.

 

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