Conservation

New Life for Old CRP

aOne of the farms where I hunt pheasants has been enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Pro-gram (CRP) for more than a decade. Years ago the property teemed with pheasants, but over time-despite a string of mild winters, virtually nonexistent hunting pressure and ideal spring moisture conditions-pheasant populations have diminished markedly there. As it turns out, what's happened to my "home covert" is typical of a much broader problem. This past year marked the 20th birthday of CRP. The 1986 Farm Bill established the program to fight soil erosion and give relief to an ailing farm economy.

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