Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

CRP is the nation's largest conservation program protecting soil, water and wildlife resources on private lands. It is a voluntary program that provides annual rental payments and cost-share assistance for agricultural land owners and operators. It is designed as a safeguard for the nation's natural resources. CRP has the expectation of establishing long-term resource-conserving covers such as grass, shrub and tree cover on environmentally sensitive land. CRP is administered through the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA). Contracts range from 10-15 years and enrollment offers are ranked for selection using the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI), which weighs six environmental factors and cost.

  1. Wildlife habitat benefits that encourage covers and habitats on contract acreage that will be most beneficial to wildlife
  2. Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching
  3. On-farm benefits of reduced erosion
  4. Enduring benefits
  5. Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion
  6. Benefits of enrollment in conservation priority areas where enrollment would contribute to the improvement of water quality, wildlife habitat, or air quality

To be eligible for enrollment into CRP, land must have a weighted average erosion index of 8 or higher, is expired CRP acreage or be located in a CRP conservation priority area. Land must have been planted or considered planted four to six crop years before the year of enrollment to become eligible for CRP, if it had not previously been enrolled. Land is only available for sign-up during designated enrollment periods. Certain pastureland is also available for enrollment that is enrolled in the Water Bank Program.

CRP landowners plant long term covers to enhance wildlife habitat, protect the quality of water and control erosion. Other modifications of CRP allow managed haying and grazing if consistent with soil conservation, water quality and wildlife habitat - with a corresponding payment reduction.

QUOTES:

"Everybody wins with conservation practices available in Continuous CRP - farmers, wildlife populations, the environment and society as a whole. And the practices are a viable alternative to farming marginal lands."
David Long - Delta Farm Press - April 14, 2006 - "Alternatives for Delta farmers with unprofitable lands"

"We have between 9 million and 10 million birds [pheasants] now. We had less than 2 million birds in 1976. That increase is because of CRP."
Larry Porter - Omaha World-Hearld (NE) - "Changes in CRP will hurt" - January 1, 2006

"CRP promotes a balance of allowing land owners to profit from protecting our water sources while still working the major portions of their farms in the production of food. The more land allowed to return to its natural state, the more wildlife will benefit."
Jim Morris - Dayton Daily News (OH) - "Wildlife may pay price for cutbacks" - October 20, 2005

"To varying degrees, farmers said that they agree strongly or somewhat that the next farm bill should: Continue the Conservation Reserve Program - 80 percent agreed."
Anne Fitzgerald - Pittsburg Tribune-Review (PA) - "Majority of farmeres like bill's protections" - July 10, 2005

"'I farmed it for, oh, 15 year or so. But this land really isn't meant for farming,' he said. 'CRP really came along at a good time for us, and for the land.'"
Kevin Woster - Rapid City Journal (SD) - "Land deal opens 5,000 acres for use by public" - May 15, 2005

Fast Facts:

Timeline:
1970's - End of Soil Bank Era
1985 - Passage of the Food Security Act establishing CRP
1986-1989 - Over 34 million acres are enrolled in CRP
1990 - Reauthorization of CRP in the Farm Bill
1991-1994 - 2.5 million acres added to CRP
1996 - Continuation of CRP in Farm Bill
1997 - Largest CRP reenrollment sign up with over 16 million acres accepted
2002 - Increase in CRP available acres from 36.4 million to 39.2 million in the Farm Bill
2006 - Current Enrollment is 35 million acres out of 39.2 million
2007 - More than 16 million acres of CRP will expire

Get the latest at the CRP Website.