Down on the Farm: April 2008
SAFE Program Welcome News for South Dakota Pheasants
The S.D. Game Fish and Parks Department, Pheasants Forever and USDA Farm Service Agency have announced that the State Acres For wildlife Enhancement program (SAFE) for pheasants reached its allotted acres in just two weeks. As a result, the state is requesting more acres for the pheasant program.
South Dakota pheasants have been begging for some positive news after the expiration of 302,857 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres last fall. On Thursday, March 27th, the USDA Farm Service Agency opened enrollment for South Dakota's new SAFE program. As part of the continuous enrollment portion of CRP, the SAFE practice specifically targets smaller critical portions of farms and is focused on pheasant production.
By close of business on Friday, April 4th, 11,715 acres in 25 South Dakota Counties had been already been offered for SAFE enrollment out of the original allocation of 20,200 acres. As of Thursday, April 10, USDA officials in Huron confirmed that all 20,200 acres for pheasant nesting habitat were allocated.
Announced this January, SAFE represents an important change to CRP that encourages state-specific wildlife focused projects. South Dakota's approved SAFE project designates 20,200 acres for pheasant nesting habitat with an additional 500 acres to be used for sage grouse habitat in the northwestern part of the state. A continuous CRP practice, SAFE acres give producers more competitive rental rates than general CRP and additional incentive payments.
"Last September 30th, 300,000 acres of South Dakota CRP expired, and the vast majority has been plowed or prepared for crop production," said Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever's Vice President of Government Affairs, "While clearly not a complete replacement of those acres, the strategic targeted approach of small parcels of CRP through SAFE, in close association with crop production, can be win-win for farming and pheasants." Nomsen continued, "Despite record-level land and commodity prices and demand for additional commodity production, the early SAFE return is evidence that farmers and landowners still possess strong interest in CRP and wildlife."
Much of the interest in the SAFE program in South Dakota has been the result of Pheasants Forever's Farm Bill Biologist program, which is designed to educate farmers and landowners about the benefits of conservation programs, as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. Through a unique partnership, Farm Bill Biologists are located in local USDA service centers in priority habitat areas throughout the pheasant range, including South Dakota. For example, Matt Morlock, PF Farm Bill Biologist, had 33 landowners offer 1,400 acres for enrollment in Moody County alone. "Pheasants Forever's seven Farm Bill Biologists in South Dakota did a remarkable job in leading the charge, with many of the SAFE applications coming from their counties," Nomsen said. Other counties with more than 500 acres offered for enrollment in the first week of signup included Lyman (2,218), Brookings (1,616), Tripp (1,275), Deuel (1,036), Grant (589) and Hamlin (554).
SAFE acres in South Dakota are eligible for an up-front signing incentive payment of $100 per acre, up to 50 percent cost-share for establishing vegetative cover, and a practice incentive payment equal to 40 percent of the cost of installing the practice. SAFE is an excellent way to increase pheasant nesting, roosting and brood rearing cover on your property. In addition, SAFE acres may be utilized to re-enroll CRP acres that expired in 2007 and those expiring in the fall at a new rental rate. SAFE and other continuous practices can be used to buffer land recently put into crop production.
SAFE projects are available through USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) service centers as part of the ongoing continuous sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program. For additional information and application assistance regarding SAFE, please contact your local USDA service center or visit Pheasants Forever's list of Farm Bill Biologists to find your local Farm Bill Biologist.
If you have story ideas, dog photos, pre-1980 hunting photos and requests for future On The Wing consideration, please send correspondence to ahauck@pheasantsforever.org.
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