WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture aims to have the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) enrolled to its fully authorized acreage by 2012, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Ducks Unlimited, which has a history of working with landowners to put WRP projects on their land, including more than 250,000 acres in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, is looking forward to working with the USDA and landowners to reach this goal.

"This could be great news for farmers and duck hunters," said Dan Wrinn, director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited. "Ducks Unlimited partnering with farmers and the USDA to put more habitat on the ground, while providing benefits to landowners, is always a win-win situation."

Current enrollment in the program stands at approximately 2.2 million acres – reaching the final goal will mean having more than 3 million acres enrolled.

For the full story, please go to ducks.org – Jay Cassell