Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
USDA Farm Service Agency
Introduction
CRP is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are from 10 to 15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.
How to Apply:
Contact your local FSA office for more information.
Back To All ResourcesThe Details
Created in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands conservation programs in the United States. Thanks to voluntary participation by farmers and landowners, CRP has achieved significant goals in conservation and sustainability.
CRP enrollment options include General CRP, Grassland CRP and Continuous CRP. The Continuous CRP signup also includes additional options, such as CLEAR30, State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, and Farmable Wetlands Program.
USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. CRP participants establish long-term, resource- conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat. In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years.
FSA administers CRP while technical support functions are provided by: USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); State forestry agencies; Local soil and water conservation districts and; Non-federal technical assistance providers.
Who’s Eligible?
Who is Eligible? A producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to submitting the offer for continuous or 12 months before the close of general or grasslands signup, unless:
• The new owner acquired the land due to the previous owner’s death;
• The ownership change occurred due to foreclosure where the owner exercised a timely right of redemption in accordance with state law or;
• The circumstances of the acquisition present adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner did not acquire the land for the purpose of placing it in CRP.
Eligible Land
For cropland, land must be planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity for four of six crop years from 2012 to 2017, and that is physically and legally capable of being planted (no planting restrictions due to an easement or other legally binding instrument) in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity. For general signup, land also must meet one of the following criteria:
• Have a weighted average erosion index of eight or higher;
• Be enrolled in a CRP contract that expires Sept. 30 or;
• Be located in a national or state CRP conservation priority area.
Marginal pasture land may also be eligible for continuous signup. CRP Grasslands has alternative requirements for eligible land.
