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Interest in Bringing CRP Land Back into Production Grows

Operators bringing CRP land into crop production will have to decide what management system to use on these fields.

There are approximately 3 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in North Dakota, but many of the contracts will expire within the next few years. Given the recent increases in commodity prices, the interest in converting land enrolled in CRP back to crop production is growing.

Operators bringing CRP land into crop production will have to decide what management system to use on these fields.

“It is important to remember that much of the CRP land being brought back into crop production is classified as highly erodible and therefore must be managed under an approved conservation program if the operator wants to remain eligible for most USDA benefit programs,” says John Nowatzki, North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural machine systems specialist.

Most CRP contracts follow the federal fiscal year, meaning they begin on Oct. 1 of the year enrolled and expire on Sept. 30 of the final contract year. After a contract expires on Sept. 30, haying, grazing and any tillage practices and/or chemical applications are permitted. For CRP acreage that will be planted to a spring-seeded crop, chemical applications may begin on Aug. 2, but tillage is not permitted until Oct. 1. If the acreage will be planted to a fall-seeded crop in the year the contract expires, chemical applications and tillage may begin on July 1. If the acreage coming out of CRP is west of the 100th meridian (roughly west of North Dakota Highway 3) and will be seeded to a fall-seeded crop, chemical applications and/or tillage may begin prior to July 1, but no earlier than May 1.

“Residue management should focus on the balance of retaining sufficient cover to optimize the beneficial effects with the detrimental effects of too much residue,” Nowatzki says. “On CRP fields with plant growth taller than 12 inches, cutting and removing plant materials may be necessary prior to planting or other tillage operations. Haying CRP prior to any management is one way to reduce residues and is recommended for no-till systems. Residue burning is discouraged because it will cause the loss of nitrogen and some sulfur, as well as the organic carbon that can be beneficial to soil tilth and biological health.”

Volunteer trees should be removed prior to planting or tilling. Smaller trees can be mowed, but larger trees that will interfere with tillage or harvesting equipment may require cutting with a dozer blade.

“Though fall tillage is preferred to spring tillage, some years the soil may be too dry in the fall to till effectively, which would necessitate early spring tillage or no-till planting,” Nowatzki says. “Aerator rollers also can be effective in preparing CRP fields for crop production because they cut plant material into short enough lengths to allow no-till planters to function effectively. The aerator roller sufficiently smoothes the soil surface to allow effective tractor and machinery operation.”

More information on aerator rollers is available on the Web at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/conservation_tillage/crp.htm.

Double-chisel plowing followed by either disking or harrowing will prepare CRP fields for seeders with hoe or disc openers. A single, double-disc operation also is effective to smooth uneven field conditions and would be the only operation necessary preceding planting with no-till single-disc openers. When using row planters for corn or soybeans, using row cleaners may be necessary in heavy residue areas.

Strip tilling may be a viable option in fields where row crops will be planted later. Generally, strip tillage is done in the fall because it can reduce residues in the tilled strip, thus improving early season stand establishment and vigor. It also leaves substantial residue between the rows to aid in soil conservation and rainfall infiltration.

“Depending on the level of tillage used and the type of equipment available for planting, the heavy residues following CRP can be a challenge in establishing an adequate crop stand,” Nowatzki says. “Since most land following CRP is prone to erosion, retaining some residue is considered highly desirable. Of the crops likely to be considered for establishment after CRP, corn is probably the most sensitive crop to cool soil temperatures that are associated with excessive crop residues because it normally is planted in early May.”

Soybeans, which are planted later in the spring, and cool-season crops, such as wheat and barley, are better able to handle the cooler soils when heavy residues are retained on the soil surface. Small-seeded crops may be difficult to establish under heavy residue situations if little or limited tillage is performed.

Haying the CRP ground can be a cost-effective way to remove excessive vegetation without destroying surface residues needed for erosion control. It also can encourage plant regrowth prior to a chemical application, thus improving the effectiveness of the burn-down chemical.

Additional information on preparing CRP land for crop production is available in the NDSU Extension publication “Bringing Land in the Conservation Reserve Program Back into Crop Production or Grazing (A-1364).” It is available through county Extension Service offices or by calling (701) 231-7882 or e-mail at dctr@ndsu.edu.


NDSU Agriculture Communication

Source:John Nowatzki, (701) 231-8213, john.nowatzki@ndsu.edu
Editor:Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu
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