USDA Opens 2025 General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment
USDA to Open General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment for 2025
WASHINGTON, May 12, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025.
CRP, USDA’s flagship conservation program, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. For four decades, CRP has provided financial and technical support to agricultural producers and landowners who place unproductive or marginal cropland under contract for 10-15 years and who agree to voluntarily convert the land to beneficial vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat. The American Relief Act, 2025, extended provisions for CRP through Sept. 30, 2025.
“With 1.8 million acres available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year, we are very aware that we are bumping up against the statutory 27-million-acre statutory cap,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Now more than ever, it’s important that the acres offered by landowners and those approved by USDA address our most critical natural resource concerns. With the limited number of acres that we have available, we’re not necessarily looking for the most acres offered but instead prioritizing mindful conservation efforts to ensure we maximize the return on our investment from both a conservation and economic perspective.”
General CRP (Signup 64)
Agricultural producers and landowners submit offers for General CRP through a competitive bid process. Offers are ranked and scored, by FSA, using nationally established environmental benefits criteria. USDA will announce accepted offers once ranking and scoring for all offers is completed. In addition to annual rental payments, approved General CRP participants may also be eligible for cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.
Continuous CRP (Signup 63)
Unlike General CRP, Continuous CRP offers are not subject to a competitive bid process. To ensure enrolled acres do not exceed the current statutory cap of 27 million acres, FSA is accepting Continuous CRP offers on a first-come, first-served basis through June 6. However, should allotted CRP acreage remain available following the June 6 deadline, FSA will accept continuous CRP offers from interested landowners through July 31, 2025, and may be subsequently considered for acceptance, in batches, if it’s determined that the offered acres support USDA’s conservation priorities.
Continuous CRP participants voluntarily offer environmentally sensitive lands, typically smaller parcels than offered through General CRP including wetlands, riparian buffers, and varying wildlife habitats. In return, they receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.
Continuous CRP enrollment options include:
- State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative: Restores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.
- Highly Erodible Land Initiative: Producers and landowners can enroll in CRP to establish long-term cover on highly erodible cropland that has a weighted erodibility index greater than or equal to 20.
- Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) Initiative: Prioritizes water quality practices on the land that, if enrolled, will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and harmful algal blooms. The vegetative covers also contribute to increased wildlife populations.
- CLEAR30 (a component of the CLEAR Initiative): Offers additional incentives for water quality practice adoption and can be accessed in 30-year contracts.
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program: Addresses high priority conservation objectives of states and Tribal governments on agricultural lands in specific geographic areas.
Grassland and Expiring CRP Acres
FSA will announce dates for Grassland CRP signup in the near future.
Additionally, landowners with acres enrolled in CRP set to expire Sept. 30, 2025, can offer acres for re-enrollment beginning today. A producer can offer to enroll new acres into CRP and also offer to re-enroll any acres expiring Sept. 30, 2025.
For more information on CRP participant and land eligibility, approved conservation practices and detailed program fact sheets, visit FSA’s CRP webpage.
More Information
Interested producers should apply through the FSA at their local USDA Service Center.
Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. Originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production, the program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.
FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Bourbon County Is In Drought Watch:consider water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires
Governor Kelly Updates Declaration of Drought Emergency, Warnings, and Watches for Kansas Counties
TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly has signed a proclamation approving updated drought declarations for Kansas counties.
“Drought conditions have persisted across Kansas through the winter and spring, and we must respond accordingly,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As we head into the summer months, where we typically see drier conditions, I urge Kansans to consider their water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires.”
The drought declaration placed three counties into emergency status, 39 counties into warning status, and 63 counties into watch status. This action was recommended by Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. Precipitation totals have varied widely across Kansas in recent weeks, with some eastern and southeastern counties receiving heavy rainfall that temporarily improved surface moisture, while central and western regions continue to experience worsening drought conditions. Despite these isolated rains, much of the state remains below average for cumulative precipitation, with ongoing deficits in soil moisture and declining streamflows.
“While we’ve seen precipitation in various regions of the state this spring, the long-term effects of drought have prevented improvements in the overall conditions,” said Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. “The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the drought conditions across Kansas and make recommendations to Governor Kelly as conditions change.”
Through an interagency agreement between the Kansas Water Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, counties in the emergency stage are eligible for emergency water use from certain state fishing lakes and some federal reservoirs.
Individuals and communities must contact the Kansas Water Office for a water supply request before withdrawing water from lakes. These requests will, in turn, be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permits to withdraw the requested water.
This proclamation shall remain in effect for those counties identified until rescinded by a proclamation ending the declaration or revising the drought stage status of the affected counties.
Effective immediately, the proclamation:
- Declares a Drought Emergency, Warning, or Watch for the counties as identified below;
- Authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the governor to implement the appropriate watch, warning, or emergency-level drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the negative drought-induced effects on Kansans. Kansans are encouraged to report drought-related conditions and impacts in their region through the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) system.
For more detailed information about current conditions, visit the Climate and Drought webpage on the Kansas Water Office website at kwo.ks.gov.
County Drought Stage Declarations:
Drought Emergency: Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick.
Drought Warning: Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Cowley, Decatur, Edwards, Grant, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Jewell, Kingman, Kiowa, Lyon, McPherson, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Morton, Norton, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rawlins, Republic, Rice, Rush, Seward, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Washington.
Drought Watch: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Coffey, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Gray, Greeley, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Riley, Rooks, Russell, Saline, Scott, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.
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Ladies Golf League on May 14
USD234 BOARD MEETING NEWS RELEASE for May 12
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, May 12, 2025
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025, for their regular monthly meeting at 424 S Main.
President David Stewart opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda, and the consent agenda as follows:
Board Minutes
04-14-25
04-22-25
Financials – Cash Flow Report
Check Register
Payroll – April 18, 2025 – $1,686,779.39
Activity Funds Accounts
USD 234 Gifts
Middle School Student Council Fundraising
Washington Workshop Extended Trip
Alex VanBecelaere was recognized by Special Education Director Tonya Barnes via ZOOM. Alex works with the Occupational Therapy in the district. She has been a huge asset to the team and the students really enjoy collaborating with her.
Superintendent Destry Brown provided the Board with an update on enrollment for the end of the year.
Assistant Superintendent Terry Mayfield provided the Board with a shared update. He updated on each of the departments and plans for the summer months.
Special Education Director Tonya Barnes reported that our district reached the high status for district IDEA Level of Determination.
The Board Approved the following items:
- Contract for Occupational Therapy Services with Outreach Therapy, LLC
- KASB Membership Renewal
- Set Capacity for Nonresident Student Enrollment
- Greenbush Contract for Low-Incidence & Audiology
- CHC School Based Health Care Service Contract
- Satchel Pulse Social Emotional Learning Curriculum
- Curriculum Resources & Materials for ELA & Foreign Language
There were none present for public forum.
The Board went into an executive session for personnel matters.
President David Stewart adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED
May 12, 2025
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Bailey, Ronda – Retirement – Accompanist – Music – High School/Middle School
Baublitz, Christina – Resignation – Paraprofessional – Winfield Scott
Dunivan, Sarah – Resignation – Music Teacher – Winfield Scott
Eichenberger, Justin – Resignation – Part Time Paraprofessional – High School
Hastings, Nicolette – Retirement – SPED Teacher – High School
Nelson, Andrew – Resignation – 6th Grade Science Teacher – Middle School
Certified Recommendations
Brown, DJ – Middle School Principal
Christy, Angela – 3rd Grade Teacher – Eugene Ware
Johnson, Kyenne – Occupational Therapist
Nelson, Andrew – Instructional Coach – Winfield Scott/Eugene Ware
Classified Recommendations for 2025-26 School year
Classified Staff
Supplemental Recommendations for the 2025-26 school year:
Hendricks, Caleb – Secondary Summer School Administrator
High School Supplemental Assignments
Middle School Supplemental Assignments
Summer School Staff
ArtEffects Competition Results
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Bourbon County Arts Council Presents The Rough Romance Tour
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Opinion: The Two Brians, Two Views of Zoning
Up until last week, the zoning advisory committee remained shrouded in mystery for everyone except those who could find the time to attend in person. No minutes have been published, and the meetings were not streamed to the public like advisory committees have been under previous commissioners. (See Commissioner Beerbower’s explanation of his view of the Zoning Advisory Committee as a democracy vs. the need for transparency.)
The veil was ripped last Wednesday when FortScott.biz streamed the meeting. Looking through the hole that had been torn in the opaqueness, those of us who couldn’t physically attend the meetings got our first look at the workings of that committee and the things being discussed that had formerly been obscured from the public view. So maybe that is a bit dramatic, but the point remains, the public was now able to see what was happening with the same level of transparency as city and previous county advisory committees.
For me, the statements made by two people named Brian on the Zoning Advisory Committee (Brian Ashworth and Brian Wade) provide the best illustration of the fundamental disagreement between members of the committee (and possibly the public and commissioners) when it comes to zoning. Understanding these two views of people who support zoning is key in any thoughtful discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of implementing zoning, as Beerbower says, the commission has already established they will do.
Brian Ashworth stated that the goal of zoning is not to prevent anyone from doing what they want to with their land. He said the purpose of zoning is to make sure a landowner wanting to put in something commercial or industrial would need to follow some guidelines to be a good neighbor, but it wouldn’t stop them from using their land as they see fit.
This sounds completely reasonable and could mean things like, if a landowner is going to put in a field of solar panels, they might be asked to put a row of trees between the panels and their neighbor’s house. Or maybe it would mean asking the solar company to locate battery arrays 500 feet or more from neighboring property and make sure the fire department is comfortable with understanding what to do in the rare, but still possible, event of a fire from the electrical systems or the situation most of us have experience where a neighbor’s field being burned that gets out of control if it happens to threaten the solar field. Those types of suggestions probably fall into the common-sense type of things that would happen on their own among neighbors who are actually looking for reasonable accommodation. Maybe zoning helps make those conversations more likely. Sounds reasonable, right?
However, Brian Wade offered a different view of the purpose of the zoning committee. He talked with admiration about how Lynn County’s zoning was able to prevent landowners from renting their land out to solar companies. He didn’t talk about how the zoning laws allowed the county to guide installations with some best practices for fire preparedness. He didn’t talk about how zoning allowed some reasonable setbacks that gave neighbors some nice trees to look at. No, he talked about how great it was that zoning had been used as a tool to prevent the landowners from leasing their land.
Mr. Wade’s goals as presented in the meeting were completely different from Mr. Ashworth’s stated goals.
If you want zoning to be a tool to prohibit landowners from using their land in legal ways that you don’t want, then Mr. Wade’s goals probably match yours. If you want zoning to be a process that helps guarantee good communication and reasonable accommodations between neighbors, then Mr. Ashworth’s goals probably align with what you want.
However, the bigger question is this: If zoning is implemented, what will we actually get?
(Note: Commission Mika Milburn says she will have the meeting streamed on May 13th, so hopefully the process will be more transparent going forward & kudos to her for trying to bring the transparency of these meetings back to the same level of previous commissioners.)
Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson
May 9, 2025
The President and his administration are moving at an epic pace. This rapid implementation has reversed damaging actions by the previous administration and put our nation on a path to protect our borders, to cut wasteful spending (fraud and abuse), and to cut taxes.
President Trump and congress made considerable tax cuts in 2017 that will end this year. The cuts can be extended if legislation is passed, you may have heard the President talk about a “big, beautiful bill”. If the tax cuts are not extended it will be a major tax increase on over 80% of U.S. taxpayers. It will also be a major state income tax increase on Kansans. The federal Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is the baseline for filing your state income taxes so if it increases your state income taxes increase. It’s a heavy lift for Congress to pass legislation so the 2017 tax cuts do not sunset, especially since they are attempting to pass more cuts like exempting Social Security, tips, and overtime from federal income taxes. “It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low, and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the tax rates.”–John F. Kennedy
Kansas Supreme Court justices are currently selected by a nominating commission (made up mainly of lawyers) that submit three names to the Governor, and the Governor picks one of the three to be a justice. The reason this process was put into effect for selecting state supreme court justices is that the powers that be felt that Kansas voters were not smart enough to select their supreme court justices and that it had to be handled by professional lawyers. This process has failed Kansans. You may have heard, the U.S. supreme court has allegedly overturned more Kansas Supreme Court rulings than any other state per capita.
This could change because on the August 4, 2026, ballot Kansas voters will have an option to keep the current process or change it to electing state supreme court justices. Why would Kansas consider changing the selection process of justices? To increase transparency and public trust. It has been argued that judicial activism is a “threat to democratic principles and the rule of law… by allowing unelected judges to make decisions that should be left to the people or their elected representatives.” U.S. Justice Scalia warned that judges who interpret the Constitution as a “living document” have crossed a line to effectively become policymakers. He also compared this “approach to the situation in the 1930’s Germany, where judges began interpreting laws to reflect the ‘spirit of the age,’ leading to disastrous consequences.”
For example, in the case Kansas versus Garcia, illegal immigrants who committed identity theft, the Kansas Supreme Court majority ruled that it was a federal issue, and the state didn’t have authority to prosecute even though identity theft is against Kansas law and the illegals used stolen identities on state and federal forms. Thankfully, this ruling was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Scalia wrote in response to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling that, “This interpretation is flatly contrary to standard English usage.”
Currently, there is a retention vote for justices on a six-year schedule. You vote yes or no on each justice – to retain or not. Some say that is an election of sorts. However, common sense tells us two or more candidates running for the position educating voters is more transparent and provides an opportunity to get to know the candidates. With the current retention vote, it is very difficult to be an informed voter. A super majority of legislators supported putting this change on the August 4, 2026, ballot and voters will get to have their voices heard.
Interim Committees are approved by the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC), which is made up of eight legislators that are in House and Senate leadership. They approved several interim committees that will meet to take a deeper look at topics before the next session. A special interim committee on tax will meet and cover several topics. The House Tax Chairman and I requested a deeper dive on property valuations. The more I research that system and attempt to navigate it, the more convinced I am the system is broken. This is not just a Kansas issue; many states have the same problems. It will take innovative thinking to bring more accuracy and transparency to property taxes.
There will also be interim committees on KPERS, housing, crypto currency, campaign contributions/transparency (hopefully a look at stopping dark money) and several other topics.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
Flags Half-Staff for Peace Officers Memorial Day
Governor Kelly Directs Flags be Flown at Half-Staff for Peace Officers Memorial Day
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly, in accordance with Executive Order #20-30, on Tuesday, directed flags throughout the State of Kansas to be flown at half-staff from sunup to sundown on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day. Peace Officers Memorial Day pays tribute to local, state, and federal peace officers who have died or been disabled in the line of duty.
“Every day, Kansas peace officers put their lives on the line in service to their communities and fellow Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Peace Officers Memorial Day is a solemn reminder to acknowledge and appreciate their sacrifices and commitment.”
To receive email alerts when the governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit: https://www.governor.
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Chamber Coffee Hosted by Shead Farm on May 15
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Nevada Regional Medical Center Hosts Free Skin Cancer Screening
Nevada Regional Medical Center is hosting a free skin cancer screening on Tuesday, May 27th, from 8 am until noon. Participants must call to register for a time slot at 417-448-3801.
Each May, awareness is brought forward regarding the warning signs of skin cancer. It is the most common cancer in the United States, affecting 1 in 5 Americans in their lifetime. Approximately 9,500 new diagnosis are made each day. However, it is one of the most treatable cancers when detected early.
Some of the most common risk factors are:
– Skin that burns easily
– Blonde or red hair
– History of excessive sun exposure
– Tanning bed use
– Immune suppressing diseases or treatments
– History of skin cancer
Take precautions in protecting your skin by wearing protective clothing, seek shade when outside, wear sunscreen with SPF of 30 or higher and avoid tanning bed usage. If you have moles or other skin spots, keep note of the following: changes in size, shape, and color of moles or other skin lesions; new moles or growths on the skin; and sores that don’t heal, itch, or bleed. Signs of melanoma can include changes in asymmetry, border, color, or size. If you notice changes, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider.