A new federal farm program designed to enroll grassland habitat into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is aiming for 7,500 acres in Michigan, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) is targeting 18 counties in southern Michigan. Wildlife corridors of at least 10 acres or patches of habitat of at least 30 acres are being sought because they will have the most benefit for wildlife. The program, which was the result of an agreement between wildlife management agencies and conservation groups, such as Pheasants Forever and The Nature Conservancy, was announced in January.

"This is the first time in recent years that whole agricultural fields are eligible for inclusion into a CRP program," said Mark Sargent, the DNR Wildlife Division's private lands specialist. "This is a great opportunity for landowners to convert marginal agricultural lands into grassland wildlife habitat for species such as pheasants, turkeys, bobolinks and deer. The program will implement some of the goals of the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan."

"This program gives annual payments that are comparable to farming rates -- all for the preservation of habitat," Sargent continued. "In addition, the program will pay 90 percent of the cost of establishing the necessary grassland."

Funds have been made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Eligible counties include Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genessee, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Shiawassee, St. Joseph and Washtenaw.

Interested landowners should contact their county USDA Farm Service Agency for details on enrollment.