USDA’s Farm Service Agency has announced up to an additional 48,000 acres can be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program in Nebraska for critical wildlife and water quality efforts. Nebraska FSA’s Conservation and Environmental Programs Chief Greg Reisdorff says those acres are part of the new State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement or SAFE program, designed to create habitat beneficial to migratory birds.

He says this is part of a continuous signup recently announced by Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack that includes an additional 1.1 million acres nationwide. The signup will start right after the first of the year.

Reisdorff expects good interest in the program due to the competitive value of the rental rates, which he says are capped at $300 per acre.

Farmers interested in SAFE should make an appointment to get enrolled at their local FSA office. The additional SAFE acres are in addition to the 122,000 acres of CRP Grasslands announced earlier this month.