<b>By JANE HOUIN<br>
Ohio Correspondent</b></p><p>

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Last week, John Stevenson, Ohio’s executive director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), announced the USDA has approved Ohio to administer a new conservation project through the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), referred to as State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE).<br>
SAFE proposals address state and regional high-priority wildlife objectives. SAFE practices provide the flexibility to meet the specific needs of high-value wildlife species in a participating state or region. Owners and operators of certain cropland in designated geographic areas may enroll eligible land into SAFE.<br>
Ohio’s SAFE goal is to enroll up to 11,600 acres into native grass, oak savanna and wetland complexes in order to expand habitats for high-priority species, including Karner blue butterflies, frosted elfin butterflies, Henslow’s sparrow, dickcissels, wood ducks, northern bobwhite quail and ring-necked pheasants.<br>
These projects will be limited to priority focus areas throughout Ohio best suited for such habitats. Focus areas designated as meeting these criteria for 2008 include the LaSuAn Grasslands, the Kitty Todd/Oak Openings Savannah Priority Area and the Lake Erie Wetlands in northwestern Ohio, as well as the Grand River Wetlands and Killbuck Wetlands in northeastern Ohio.<br>
Other areas include the Big Island/Killdeer Plains Grasslands in central Ohio and the Paint Creek Grasslands and Southern Ohio Grassland Bird Priority Area. Certain townships in specific counties where these areas are located are eligible for these SAFE practices.
Conservation practices offered under CRP are fine-tuned through SAFE to improve, connect or create higher-quality habitat to promote healthier ecosystems in areas identified as essential to effective management of high-priority species.<br>
USDA’s goal is to restore or enhance 500,000 acres of wildlife habitat.<br>
Through SAFE, producers create habitat that is beneficial to the target high-priority species, which may involve planting trees, grasses, forbs or other species to help restore or improve the wildlife habitat. High-priority species may include those listed as threatened, endangered or as candidates for designation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or those that have suffered a significant population decline or a socially or economically valuable species.<br>
A signup start date will be announced early this spring, with signup on an ongoing basis. USDA accepts year-round producer offers, provided the land and producer meet certain eligibility requirements. Producers can offer land for enrollment in SAFE and other CRP programs at their local FSA Service Center.<br>
Producers within a SAFE area can submit offers to voluntarily enroll acres in CRP contracts for 10-15 years.<br>
In exchange, producers receive annual CRP rental payments, incentives and cost-share assistance to establish habitat-enhancing natural covers on eligible land.<br>
Fishing and hunting are allowed on CRP-enrolled land, including land in the SAFE program. As with other conservation practices and programs under CRP, however, certain restrictions do apply.<br>
To be eligible under continuous signup practices, land must be in a SAFE project area and meet basic CRP eligibility requirements. Eligible land is cropland that was planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity during four of the six years from 1996-2001.<br>
Producers enrolling in CRP enter into contracts with USDA’s Commodity Credit Corp. (CCC). FSA administers CRP on behalf of CCC. For more information on Ohio’s SAFE project, visit an FSA Service Center or go online to www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/safe08.pdf<br>
Prior to the signup period, producers may file a Record of Inquiry form at their local FSA office to express their interest in SAFE.