**Please see the note below regarding mowing for maintenance of current CRP practices. If you have any further questions, please call the SWCD office.*
MOWING GUIDELINES FOR CRP
The Important Facts of Mowing and
Protecting Wildlife Habitat
By Jason Bleich Farm Bill Biologist –
Vermilion County USDA 3/17
As many of you know, our USDA conservation programs are now putting
special emphasis on getting highly diverse prairie habitat (also known as
pollinator habitat) back on the landscape.
In this article, I’m going to touch on the facts and policies behind
mowing in this new era of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Back in the days of brome / alfalfa seed mixes, conservation agencies
promoted late summer mowing after the pheasant nesting season (typically
starting mowing rotations on August 1).
Back then, mowing was a management practice used to promote alfalfa in
these brome stands. Over the last 20
years, research and field experience have proven over and over again that brome
/ alfalfa stands provide little to no wildlife value once the brome takes
over.
In the last few years, CRP has changed gears and now focuses on
planting good native grass and wildflower mixes for wildlife habitat. Lots of emphasis has also been put on
converting those old rank brome fields to these good native grass / wildflower wildlife
mixes.
In this new era, mowing is now restricted to only the 1st
year of a contract. In the first growing
season, it may be necessary to mow once or twice in early July – early August
to suppress weeds in a new seeding.
Please contact the SWCD staff or your local biologist to see if mowing
is necessary. The general rule of thumb with
establishment mowing is to mow HIGH and do not mow past the first week
in August (otherwise you will hurt the new native seedlings). Once these native grass / wildflower mixes
are established, mowing anytime during the year is prohibited because it
can be detrimental to the stand (and to wildlife). This rule stands for all CRP practices
including filter strip buffers and field borders.
FSA now states…
Mowing after the 1st
growing season is no longer authorized without permission from the USDA office. This stands for all CRP practices including
filter strips and buffers. After
establishment, only spot treatments can be implemented to control weeds outside
of the pheasant nesting season (April 15 – August 1). The FSA COC can allow limited disturbance
during the nesting season only if absolutely necessary - i.e. spot treatment of a noxious weed that
must occur immediately.
Over the decades, Ford County has been a major hub for upland wildlife
conservation. With the overwhelming
popularity and success of CRP Pollinator, SAFE, and wetland practices, Ford
County landowners have once again proven that modern agriculture practices and
wildlife conservation can co-exist and benefit one another. If you have questions about the mowing
policies or enrolling land into CRP, please feel free to contact the USDA
office this spring and summer!
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