Kansas Part of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative to Improve Habitat

Applications Accepted through March 4, 2011

SALINA, KANSAS, January 25, 2011--Eric B. Banks, state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kansas, announced January 25, 2011, that applications for participation in a national Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative (LPCI) designed to improve the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LEPC) habitat will be accepted through March 4, 2011. This initiative will also simultaneously promote the overall health of grazing lands and the long-term sustainability of Kansas ranching operations. Kansas has received a $2 million allocation for this initiative.

“Our intent,” said Banks, “is to target technical and financial assistance on expired or expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields that will be maintained in permanent cover and used for grazing.”

Financial assistance is being offered to establish and maintain permanent vegetation benefitting the LEPC habitat on cropland and grazing lands in 34 targeted counties: Barber, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Rush, Pratt, Scott, Seward, Sherman, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, and Wichita. Conservation practices, such as fencing, water development and others would be available for financial assistance to aid in developing and enhancing the existing cover.

“Many of the expired CRP acres are large fields feasible to graze, but they lack fencing, water development, and grazing plans,” said Banks.

“In 2010 this was a very successful initiative in Kansas in improving the Lesser Prairie-Chicken habitat,” said Banks. “Producers entered into 64 contracts and enrolled 28,282 acres for which over $1.4 million were obligated in the targeted counties.”

“This initiative is also available to help address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers who are interested in improving Lesser Prairie-Chicken habitat on their land," said Banks.

"In Kansas, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers will receive a higher payment rate for conservation practices related to this initiative."

In addition to Kansas, four other states--Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas--have significant expiring CRP acreage and have counties with populations of LEPC. These states are also taking part in this LPCI.

For additional information go to the Kansas NRCS web page at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/lepc or contact your local NRCS field office. NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Last Modified: 01/28/2011