CRP Enhancement Initiative for Bobwhites

CRP Enhancement Initiative for Bobwhites (CRP-BOB)

Within Missouri Department of conservation Quail Focus Areas

Revised November 2005

Landowners with CRP contracts are eligible for an incentive program designed to implement mid-contract management practices to address the habitat needs of bobwhite quail within Missouri Department of conservation Quail focus Areas. Cost share is available from USDA and the CRP-BOB program to manage CRP lands to benefit quail and other grassland wildlife. With assistance from a wildlife biologist or an approved quail management plan, a landowner can choose which practices are lacking in their CRP acres to provide optimum quail benefits.

To Qualify for CRP-BOB:

Only CRP, CCRP and CREP and acreage adjacent to woodland edges and hedgerows are eligible for CTRP-BOB. Land enrolled in other state or federal programs is not eligible.

Eligibility:

Landowners that do not qualify for or desire to utilize FSA cost-share for mid-contract management: Landowner must perform practices equivalent to mid-contract management on at least 1/3 of each field per year enrolled in CRP-BOB, not to exceed three years; CRP plan must include prescribed burning, light disking or herbicide suppression. It may also include shrub/food plot plantings or edge feathering as necessary. Consult your local FSA office for information mid-contract management practice rules.

For landowners desiring to participate in FSA cost-share for mid-contract management practices: See Statewide CRP-BOB version.

How to Develop a CRP-BOB Contract:

Based on an evaluation of the existing CRP acres, landowners must select one practice from each of boxes 1, 2 and 3. A landowner may select more than one practice from box 2 and 3. If a practice is already implemented or habitat conditions already exist in sufficient quality, the landowner is not required to duplicate that practice.

BOX #1

CRP-BOB Cost-Shared Mid-Contract Management Practices (choose one)

            w Prescribed Burning

   w Strip Disking

        w Herbicide Suppression

BOX #2

Woody Cover (Select at least one)

   wCovey Headquarter Establishment

   wWoody Edge Feathering

BOX #3

Third Practice Options - practice

(select at least one)

    wFoot Plot Establishment

    wInterseeding Native Forbs/Legumes

CRP landowners in quail focus areas participating in CRP-BOB, are also eligible to receive cost-share to eradicate serecia lespedeza or other invasive herbaceous vegetation on CRP acres and adjacent acres.
To secure funds for a CRP-BOB contract, the planner should complete the CRP-BOB Enhancement Practices table (cost chare form) and deliver to the appropriate Private Land Services (PLS) Division Regional Supervisor. The planner should complete the amount requested, cost share rate and total cost share requested columns.
Once funding confirmation is received from the PLS Regional Supervisor, the CRP-BOB participant can be notified they will need to contact NRCS to modify their contract/plan as necessary to include the mid-contract management practices.
Once contract/plan modifications are completed (not before), the participant ay begin practice implementation.
Participants must complete all three required practices (or agree to maintain existing practices/habitat conditions if applicable substitutes) before requesting cost share through CRP-BOB.
Once the planner has certified practices have been implemented, the CRP-BOB request for cost share form is completed and forwarded to the county SWCD office for processing. The SWCD will forward the form to the MASWCD and the MASWCD will provide payment to the landowner from funds provided by MDC.

Additional Criteria:

w $4,000 per landowner annual limit.

w Food plots are not allowed on CP25 or continuous CRP contracts due to USDA guidelines.

w Cost share is not available for practices required through a CRP contract (such as existing food plots).

w Participants have one year from the date the CRP contract was modified to implement practices.

w Participants that destroy CRP-BOB practices or are out of compliance with USDA program requirements will be required to repay a

pro-rated amount of the CRP-BOB cost share received.

w Participants must follow CRP signup 26 guidelines for the mid-contract management (see 2-CRP (Rev. 4) Mo. Amend. 4 and 5). The established

management practice time frames need to be emphasized and followed. Also, if a producer does not complete the management practice, he/she will

be in violation with FSA handbook provisions.

w Once a contract has been modified to include mid-contract management, participants may no longer mow CRP acres enrolled in CRP-BOB

w Cooperators must agree to maintain enhancements, regardless of CRP contract length as follows:

* Shrub plantings and edge feathering for 10 years

* Management practices and serecia eradication for life of CRP contract

w The landowner may not use CRP-BOB to meet the mid-contract requirements of a new CRP contract.

w On CCRP acres: Only prescribed burning is an authorized management practice.

For specific CRP-BOB Components, see the following job sheets and related information:

Prescribed Burning (IS-MO338), Light Strip Disking (JS-BIOL-24), Herbicide Suppression (JS-BIOL-26) - See Mid-contract Management Practices for CRP Grasslands 5/05 version. Refer to the CRP management guidelines.

Native Forb / Legume Interseeding – Is a cost sharable practice on only those acres disturbed by a mid-contract management practice. See NRCS Jobsheet JS-BIOL 20..

Woody Edge Feathering, Covey Headquarters & Shrub Plantings – See NRCS Jobsheet JS-BIOL 18, 19, and 22. Landowenrs are rquired to establish 1/10th acre of shrubs on each 40 acres..

Food Plots – See JS-BIOL 25 and CRP Conservation Plan for specifications. Landowners are required to establish ¼ acre of food plots on each 40 acres.

For food plot and woody edge feathering, criteria listed are the minimum requirements. Individuals are encouraged to do more than the minimum.

Serecia Eradication -- follow label rates with herbicides such as Pasturegard, Remedy and glyphosate.

Cost Share Summary

Practice	CCRP & Prior to sign up 26	CRP Sign Up 26 & 29	Payment rate
Woody Edge Feathering (Thinning rate based on planners recommendation)	X	X	Light - $150 per acre Medium - $275 per acre Heavy - $400 per acre
Covey Headquarter Establishment Shrub Rows (5x5 foot spacing) bare root only	X	X	$700 per HQ for 44 container grown shrubs (1,500 sq ft) $100 per HQ for 77 bare root shrubs (1,500 sq ft) $1,625 per acre on 5 x 5 spacing
Prescribed Burning	X	NA	$15 per acre cost share
Light Disking	X	NA	$15 per acre cost share
Herbicide Suppression	X	NA	$15 per acre cost share
Native Forb/Legume Interseeding	X	NA	75% Actual cost
Serecia Lespedeza or Invasive Herbaceous Species Eradication	X	X	75% Actual cost
Food Plot Establishment	X	X	$50 per acre per year for 2 years

To participate in the CRP-BOB program, contact your local FSA, NRCS, or Soil and Water Conservation District offices, or local MDC office.

Contact your local Missouri Department of Conservation representative for additional information on how you can improve your property for bobwhite quail or contact your local Farm Services Agency office for CRP information.