U.S. Ag Groups Say CRP Land Could Fill Ukrainian Gap in Grain Production

Several U.S. ag groups are calling on the Biden administration to ease Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) guidelines as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine could impact global food security. Roughly 60 million acres of crops are at risk this growing season in Ukraine, consisting mostly of corn and wheat.

University of Illinois Ag Economist Scott Irwin says the U.S. could open 4 million acres of farmland currently enrolled in CRP. President Biden has not commented directly on the matter, while U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says it is too premature to “make that kind of decision”. Several farmers have spoken out saying their CRP land is enrolled in the program because it’s not farmable, either by terrain or soil quality.

Read more on CRP guidelines and the Russian invasion of Ukraine here and additional commentary here.