Pollinator and Monarch SAFE Map: Counties in which Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE may be applied.
Sign-Up Available for CRP Pollinator and Monarch Practice in Ohio
Ohio State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE)
Dr. John Patterson, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director in Ohio, announced that landowners and operators in designated counties throughout Ohio will have the opportunity to offer cropland for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Pollinator and Monarch practice entitled State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE).
The Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE project was designed in collaboration with pollinator experts and other conservation partners to help enhance and restore habitat for ecologically and economically significant pollinator species.
The goal of this project is to increase the amount of appropriate habitat for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators in Ohio. The enrolled habitat, a mix of grasses and forbs, will provide important nectar sources as well as the required larval host plant species. Because of the significant decline in monarch numbers, both range-wide and in Ohio, the monarch butterfly is the focus of this project. However, other pollinator species are expected to benefit from implementation of this project.
Pollinator and Monarch SAFE is available on a continuous (ongoing) basis in the following counties: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Erie, Franklin, Guernsey, Harrison, Henry, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jefferson, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Muskingum, Ottawa, Perry, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Scioto, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wood. See map below for eligible geographic areas.
To be eligible for the Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE, the offered land must be owned or leased for at least one year prior to enrollment and must be physically and legally capable of being cropped in a normal manner. Land must also meet cropping history and other eligibility requirements. Land currently enrolled in CRP may be re-offered for enrollment into SAFE if the land enrolled in CRP is in the last year of the CRP-1 contract. Offers are automatically accepted provided the land and applicant meet all eligibility requirements. Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE offers are not subject to competitive bidding.
Producers will receive annual rental payments for the length of the contract, and cost share assistance of up to 50% of the eligible practice cost to establish pollinator habitat. Additionally, FSA provides producers with a signing incentive payment (not applicable to re-enrolled acreage) and practice incentive payment. Contracts enrolled under the Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE must be 10-15 years in duration.
For more information on Ohio’s Pollinator and Monarch SAFE project, visit your local FSA county office.
