In 2007, the USDA-Farm Service Agency announced the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement initiative (SAFE) under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). SAFE was designed to address the habitat needs of endangered, threatened or high-priority fish and wildlife species. Sign-up is now underway for two new CRP practices, CP38 - Bobwhite Quail Habitat and CP38 - Black Belt Prairie, which will enhance bobwhite quail and other grassland wildlife habitat in Mississippi. Click here or on the image to the right to view or download the CP38 brochure.

 

Once an abundant gamebird, bobwhite quail populations have experienced major declines in Mississippi during the last 25 years. These declines are attributed to changes in land use and management that have reduced quality of nesting, brood-rearing, and protective cover. Today, few areas support sufficient bobwhite quail populations to offer quality hunting opportunities. Thus, the CP38 - Bobwhite Quail Habitat practice (along with CRP, CP33 - Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds) was developed to increase grassland wildlife habitat in row crop agricultural systems. The practice consists of establishing native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs to provide critical habitat for bobwhites and other grassland wildlife. There are 29 counties throughout Central and North Mississippi that are eligible for this practice: Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, Chickasaw, Clay, Coahoma, Desoto, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Madison, Marshall, Monroe, Noxubee, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tunica, Union, and Yazoo. There are 2,950 acres available for enrollment in the CP38 - Bobwhite Quail Habitat practice.

 

The Black Belt Prairie region of Mississippi is one of the most degraded ecosystems in the state, with less than 1% of native prairie remaining. Much of the historic Black Belt Prairie has been converted to agricultural uses. Thus, the CP38 - Black Belt Prairie practice was developed to restore native prairie grasses and wildflowers in row crop agricultural systems. Prairie restoration will enhance habitat for a number of grassland wildlife species, including bobwhite quail, grassland songbirds, pollinator insects such as butterflies, deer, turkey, and other game and non-game wildlife. Parts of 9 counties in the Black Belt Prairie region of Mississippi are eligible for this practice: Chickasaw, Clay, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Monroe, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, and Pontotoc. There are 2,500 acres available for enrollment in the CP38 - Black Belt Prairie practice.

 

Program sign-up is underway, and eligible land may be enrolled at any time until all practice acreage has been enrolled. Eligible acres are automatically accepted instead of being competitively ranked. Both whole and partial field enrollments are eligible. Like other CRP practices, incentives, cost-shares, and annual rental payments are available on eligible CP38 acres. For more information on eligibility or to enroll in CP38, visit the Farm Service Agency office at your USDA Service Center.