Acreage currently enrolled in general CRP or CREP, prior to sign up 26, is eligible. Land enrolled in other federal or state programs is not eligible for CRP-BOB. Continuous CRP does not qualify.

Step 1. Initial site visit with landowner to identify those habitat features missing.

Step 2. Based on the planner’s recommendation, a landowner will select three CRP-BOB practices to implement on the CRP acreage.

Step 3. The planner completes the Missouri Bobwhite Quail – CRP Enhancement Initiative Form. Complete Sections 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d. Total the amount of cost share requested. No signatures are needed at this time.

Step 4. The completed form is forwarded to the appropriate PLS Regional Supervisor.

Step 5. If funds are available the landowner is notified by the planner.

Step 6. The landowner meets with FSA to modify his/her CRP contract to include the mid-contract management practice and the CRP-BOB practices. It is recommended that the planner be present with the landowner when modifying the contract! A LANDOWNER MUST MODIFY THEIR EXISTING CRP CONTRACT TO QUALIFY FOR CRP-BOB PAYMENT!

Step 7. After the CRP contract has been modified by FSA the landowner may begin work.

Step 8. When the practices are completed, the planner completes Sections 3d, 3e and 4. The mid-contract management practice must be completed before a landowner claims cost share for the CRP-BOB practices.

Step 9. The CRP-BOB form is forwarded to the appropriate SWCD office. The form is then sent to the state MASWCD office.

Step 10. MASWCD mails a check to the landowner for the completed CRP-BOB practices.

No. Landowner’s from sign up 26 are required to complete the mid-contract management practices. Landowners from sign up 26 still have the opportunity to modify their existing CRP contracts to include more wildlife friendly practices such as improving the seeding mix, planting shrubs and interseeding. CP10 contracts, prior to sign up 26, are eligible for CRP-BOB.

Contracts from sign up26 are ineligible because they are required to complete the mid-contract management practices. Landowners still have time to modify their existing contracts to develop better wildlife habitat. Landowners can not modify their contract to a lower point seed mix or remove food plots or shrub plantings.

A landowner has one year from when the CRP contract was modified to implement the practices.

No. All practices will be certified by the planner.

The disturbance is the key. Cost share for food plots will cover disking, fertilization and seed. With CRP-BOB the main concern is to create bareground habitat – a major limiting factor on CRP grasslands.

No. The intention of a food plot is to provide a late season food source and summer brooding habitat. While a green browse food plot does provide excellent brooding habitat the goal of CRP-BOB is to also provide a late season food source and bareground habitat. Eligible annual grains include: corn, milo, millet, forage sorghum, soybeans, cowpeas, annual lespedeza, partridge pea, sunflowers and winter wheat. Perennial forage crops like ladino clover and alfalfa are not eligible for CRP-BOB.

The landowner may receive cost share for the completed portion of the practices, but only if the planner finds the work acceptable and minimum requirements met. The planner should then notify the Regional Supervisor of any remaining funds.

No. The food plots are already a part of the existing CRP contract, and the landowner likely received EBI points for establishing the food plots. Food plots can only be cost shared through CRP-BOB if they are not already a part of the existing CRP contract.

No. Only 1/3 of the contract acres can be treated in any one year. A landowner may receive cost share for completed CRP-BOB practices once they have disturbed 1/3 of the acres by using prescribed burning, light disking or herbicide suppression. Therefore, it is recommended that landowners complete the mid-contract management practice before beginning any CRP-BOB work. Landowner’s should continue to treat 1/3 of the contract acres in subsequent years.

CRP-BOB participants must complete the required mid-contract management practice to receive their CRP-BOB payment. Landowners have a reasonable amount of time to complete the mid-contract management practice and should be encouraged to complete the management practice before completing the CRP-BOB practice(s).

Covey Headquarters or Shrub Plantings – Establish a minimum of 1/10 acre of good shrubby cover per 40 acres.

Edge Feathering – Cut all undesirable vegetation 30 feet back from the edge of the field, totally at least 1/10 acre per 40 acres. For hedgerow renovation all woody vegetation should be cut and the stumps left untreated OR a combination of both practices that equals a minimum of 1/10 acre. Invasive grasses must be sprayed before beginning edge work.

Food Plots – Establish at least ¼ acre of grain food plot per 40 acres.

Interseeding – In any given year, only those acres treated with a mid-contract management practice. There is no minimum acreage for overseeding.

Prescribed Burning, Light Strip Disking and Herbicide Suppression – One-third of the contract acres may be treated annually for prescribed burning and herbicide suppression. Only one-third of each CRP field may be strip disked annually. Management practices are limited to certain times of the year. Please refer to 2-CRP (Rev. 4) Mo. Amend 4 and 5 or contact your Area Biologist for additional information.

USDA will cost share these practices. For prescribed burning and light disking landowner’s will receive $5.00 for each acre treated. Landowner’s will receive $8.00 per acre for herbicide suppression. Native forb and legume interseeding will be 50% of the county or state average.

CRP-BOB components (shrub planting and edge feathering) shall be maintained for 10 years, regardless of the life of the CRP contract. There is no lifespan for food plots.

The landowner will be required to repay a pro-rated amount for all CRP-BOB cost share received. Landowners who are out of compliance with other program requirements will also need to repay a pro-rated amount for the CRP-BOB cost share received. Landowners will not receive a CRP-BOB cost share payment until after the mid-contract management practice has been completed.

The rates indicated on the leaflet are the dollar amounts the landowner will receive per acre or per unit. Rates

are based on USDA’s state average cost list. A covey headquarter is one unit.

Light – Existing woody cover is less than 60% canopy

Medium – Existing woody cover is 60 to 80% canopy

Heavy – Existing woody cover is greater than 80% canopy

*Feathered edges should have no more than 10% canopy coverage remaining after thinning has been completed.

*Hedgerow renovation should be categorized as heavy or medium thinning.