FSA Administrator Val Dolcini celebrates Art Hulberg’s 100th Birthday and his 30 year commitment to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). (Photo courtesy of Deb Mercier, News Editor, Pope County Tribune)
Dedicates Last Three Decades Solely to Conservation
By Brenda Carlson, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Farm Service Agency
Born in 1915, Minnesota farmer and conservationist Arthur “Art” Hulberg celebrated his 100th birthday this year, and if that milestone weren’t significant enough, 2015 also marks the 30th anniversary of USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)–a program in which Hulberg has participated since its inception. To commemorate the centenarian’s lifelong commitment to agriculture and conservations as well as USDA’s flagship conservation program, FSA Administrator Val Dolcini traveled to Benson, Minnesota, to personally offer birthday wishes and hand deliver a message of gratitude from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The ceremony capped an open house in honor of Hulberg and his dedicated participation in CRP.
In his letter to Hulberg, Vilsack says, “It is a true privilege to be a part of the celebration marking your birthday and honoring your longstanding commitment to conservation work… On this happy occasion, you can contemplate your many outstanding contributions to our Nation with deep satisfaction. You have meant a great deal to a great many people, and your dedicated work on behalf of conservation is an inspiration to us all.”
Together, Hulberg and his brother Clifford farmed nearly 200 acres in Pope County, Minnesota. When CRP was first implemented, the Hulberg brothers enrolled 15 acres and one year later, they enrolled the remaining 173 acres. In 1989, Clifford passed away and Art took over as full owner of the property. Since then, he has renewed his full-farm CRP contract every 10 years and continues, to this day, to work with USDA Service Center staff to manage his CRP contracts.
“Attending this celebration and meeting Art is one of the most meaningful things I’ve done as FSA Administrator,” said Dolcini. “Art represents a piece of Americana and represents life as it should be led… to the fullest.”
As the CRP program options have evolved, Hulberg has proactively managed his CRP contracts to include new program provisions. With the launch of the Walk-In-Access (WIA) program, Hulberg immediately signed up to allow for public hunting on his CRP acreage. WIA is supported by a grant through the USDA’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), which was authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill to enhance public access to privately held and operated farm and ranch lands, and improve habitat for wildlife-dependent recreation.
Hulberg has also helped out fellow farmers and livestock producers in his community by allowing them to utilize his CRP acres for managed haying practices.
“I’m honored to join Art, his friends and family to celebrate his Life’s work and successes. He is an integral part of the lifeblood of the community of Benson,” said Dolcini.
When asked by one of the more than 60 guests who attended the open house, “What do you think about Administrator Dolcini coming from Washington, D.C., to give you a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture and to celebrate with cake and coffee?” Hulberg responded, “Did I just dream this?”
Surrounded by family and friends in Benson, Minnesota, Art Hulberg celebrated 100 years of life and 30 years of conservation during an open house gathering in his honor. (Photo courtesy of Deb Mercier, News Editor, Pope County Tribune)
And when asked by Dolcini, “How does one make it to 100 years of age?” Hulberg thoughtfully replied, “Take it one day at a time.”
Since being established on December 23, 1985, CRP has helped prevent more than 8 billion tons of soil from eroding and protected more than 170,000 stream miles with riparian and grass buffers, more than 100,000 acres of bottomland hardwood trees, nearly 300,000 acres of flood-plain wetlands, and 250,000 acres each for duck nesting habitat and upland bird habitat.
For an interactive tour of CRP success stories from across the U.S., please visit the FSA CRP 30th Anniversary website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/CRPis30.
