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Montana Grasslands Shrink as CRP Acres Fall

Montana's Conservation Reserve Program acreage dropped 60% between 2007 and 2018, prompting efforts to convert idled fields back to grazing land.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in National Parks

Montana Grasslands Shrink as CRP Acres Fall

Live Poll

Should the federal government increase funding for grassland conservation programs on farmland?

Montana's Conservation Reserve Program acreage fell from a peak of about 3.5 million acres in 2007 to 1.3 million acres in 2018, a decline of roughly 60%. Wildlife and conservation groups are now investing in fences and stock tanks to transition former CRP fields into grazing lands.

Why it matters

Montana's grasslands support wildlife and ranching across the state, and the loss of CRP land has accelerated the decline of native range in areas where grasses have been replaced by energy development and invasive species. A proposed $786 million cut to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program over 10 years could further shape how Montana's remaining grasslands are managed.

Montana's CRP acreage declined 60% from its 2007 peak of about 3.5 million acres to 1.3 million acres in 2018, according to state enrollment figures. Southeastern Montana's Region 7 enrollment fell from roughly 700,000 acres in the early 2000s to about 113,000 acres, and the long-term effect on native grassland remains unclear.

The players

Brett Dorak

Brett Dorak is a wildlife manager in southeastern Montana who tracks CRP enrollment trends in Region 7.

Scott Thompson

Scott Thompson is a conservation professional who has spoken about the loss of CRP land and the push to transition it to grazing.

The details

Conservation groups and state wildlife agencies are installing fences and stock tanks to convert idled CRP fields into grazing land, with some acreage shifting to cropland or hayland instead. Grassland losses have been heaviest where introduced grasses replaced native range, while energy development and invasive cheatgrass have also degraded remaining acreage.

Timeline

  1. - 1985: The Conservation Reserve Program was signed into law.

  2. - 1990: More than 30 million acres were enrolled nationally.

  3. - 2007: Montana's CRP acreage peaked at nearly 3.5 million acres.

  4. - Early 2000s: Southeastern Montana's Region 7 enrollment peaked at about 700,000 acres.

  5. - 2018: Montana's CRP acreage fell to 1.3 million acres.

Roadmap

The decline tracks the national arc of the Conservation Reserve Program, which was signed into law in 1985 and reached more than 30 million acres by 1990. Montana's sharp drop from its 2007 peak reflects how expiring contracts and shifting commodity prices have reshaped the grassland landscape the program was built to protect.

Visitors planning trips to Montana's grasslands should expect that more former CRP fields may be fenced for grazing and that access may vary across private and public land. Checking with local land managers before traveling can help avoid surprises on restored or transitioning acreage.

The takeaway

Montana's grassland decline shows how quickly conservation acreage can shrink once contracts end, and how sustained investment in fences and grazing can help restore what remains.

Further reading

Explore more on National Parks to see how protected landscapes are managed across the country.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Independent Record.

Live Poll

Should the federal government increase funding for grassland conservation programs on farmland?