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News and Events
New CRP Practice for Catfish Ponds
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Photo: Mike Linsenbigler (right), Deputy Director of Conservation and Environmental Programs, Beverly Preston (center), Conservation Reserve Program Manager, and John Carter, Manager of Farmable Wetlands Program met with catfish leaders to discuss enrollment of catfish ponds in the new CRP program.
The new farm bill extends the authority of USDA to enroll catfish ponds in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Any catfish pond which has been in operation at least one year since 2002 is eligible to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program. The 15-year rental contract with USDA has been an extremely popular program for farmable wetlands in other parts of the United State, and would convey an estimated $60 - $80 an acre annual rental rates to ponds which discontinue operation. The program also extends a $100 per acre, one-time, signing incentive payment.
We are grateful to Senator Cochran for including language in the Farm Bill for those who wish to enroll catfish ponds in CRP. Also, the commitment which Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum has shown for making this program economically viable for those who wish to retire ponds, or convert them to wildlife and waterfowl areas in helping bring emphasis to this catfish program.
Specialists at Stoneville estimate that there will be approximately 25,000 acres of abandoned catfish ponds which will be eligible for CRP enrollment next year, with as much as 15,000 of the 25,000 acres potentially expressing an interest in the 15-year conservation rental contracts.
“USDA officials who met with us are extremely knowledgeable about the practical aspects of CRP enrollment of catfish ponds and we are very encouraged that Bob Stephenson of FSA and his staff are working with us to put this program on the ground,” stated Delta Council leader Chat Phillips of Yazoo County, who currently serves as President of Catfish Farmers of America.