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Deadlines/Dates
August 2: Non-Emergency Haying/Grazing of CRP Signup Opens
August 31: Deadline to complete Non-Emergency Haying of CRP; Deadline to Review Base Allocation Summary
September 15: Deadline to Update Payment Eligibility for Entities 
September 30: Deadline to Complete FY26 Mid-Contract Management on CRP; Deadline to remove livestock from Non-Emergency Grazing of CRP; Office Fiscal Year Rollover
October 1: FY27 Mid-Contract Management on CRP Opens
December 31: Deadline to Apply for OCCSP

Fall CRP Tree Control  and Firebreak Preparation

submitted by Janet Bratland, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist

So, you have land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and you’re wondering what to do now that Primary Nesting Season (May 15 – August 1) is behind us? Two of the most common things people should be doing right now are tree control and firebreak maintenance!

If you are planning a prescribed burn next spring, you should be mowing your firebreaks now. Mow firebreaks 15 to 30 feet around the perimeter of the field 1-2 times this fall, trying to get them as short as possible. In the spring, mow the firebreaks again 1-2 times before your prescribed fire. It will vary with how many times you can and should mow depending on how late in the fall and early in the spring the vegetation is green and growing. Mowing your fire breaks several times ahead of a burn is very important to help minimize the chances of the fire spreading beyond the CRP. The goal is to get the existing vegetation to break down and green up quickly in the spring to provide a short, green fire break. When combined with good burning practices, firebreaks are designed to slow and/or stop the spread of fire that reaches the firebreak. Generally, is good practice to mow your fire breaks once a year, even when you don’t plan to burn. This helps keep your fire break well-maintained and clear of woody vegetation that might creep in.  

There are a few methods that can be utilized for tree control. Prescribed fire every 3-5 years can help keep small trees controlled. Burn timing of late spring (April 21 – May 14) will be most effective, so that the trees are already at a weakened state after putting out leaves for the year, which expends a lot of energy. Spot herbicide application can be effective and custom to the tree species in your prairie. Trees less than 15 feet tall can be foliar sprayed after August 1 while the tree still has green leaves. Trees of any size can be basal bark sprayed at any time of the year outside of Primary Nesting Season. If trees are larger than 15 feet tall, they can be cut and stump treated with herbicide. Always follow the label instructions and consult a professional about which chemical to use for your specific situation. Depending on what species you’re dealing with, mowing can help to keep trees short but will not kill trees altogether. A burn or herbicide application follow-up should be utilized in tandem with mowing to optimize chances of a successful kill. 

There are additional issues and maintenance needs that your CRP may have beyond trees and firebreaks. A good first step to make sure you are doing the best management practices for your CRP is to reach out to our NRCS office for technical assistance specific to your property. You can reach out to me at 319-883-1321 or jbratland@pheasantsforever.org or call the Waukon office at 563-568-2246 ext. 3.