Bonham – Fannin County agricultural producers have until Aug. 27 to offer eligible land for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up.

"America’s farmers and ranchers play an important role in improving our environment, and for nearly 25 years, CRP has helped this nation build sound conservation practices that preserve the soil, clean our water, and restore habitat for wildlife," said Jerry Magness, president of the Fannin County Farm Bureau.

CRP protects millions of acres of America’s topsoil from erosion and is designed to improve the nation’s natural resources base.

Participants voluntarily remove environmentally-sensitive land
from agricultural production by entering into long-term contracts for 10 to 15 years. In exchange, participants receive annual rental payments and a payment of up to 50 percent of the cost of establishing conservation practices.

Applications can be completed by landowners at the FSA county office where their farm records are maintained. For more information on the general CRP sign-up, or the continuous CRP sign-up, producers should contact their local FSA county office, or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.