What it is: The Conservation Reserve Program, established in 1985, provides farmers with cost-share, rental payments and incentives to restore and protect highly erodible farmland, farmed wetlands, and riparian buffers. To be eligible for enrollment, lands must be subject to erosion and

have a cropping history for 2 of the past 5 years. CRP also protects buffer areas through the continuous enrollment program. There are two types of signup for CRP, general enrollment and continuous enrollment. General signups occur periodically, and last from four to six weeks. Applications are ranked according to the benefits from reduction in erosion, benefits to wildlife, air and water quality, and cost. A proportion of contracts are accepted and producers are notified within a few months. Enrolled lands are then planted in resource-conserving cover crops, with up to 50% cost-share assistance provided by USDA. The USDA additionally provides the producer with a rental rate for the duration of the 10 to 15 year contract.

The other type of CRP signup is the continuous enrollment. A producer may enter a continuous enrollment contract at any time to enact practices that reduce wind and water erosion: grassed waterways, filter strips, living windbreaks, riparian buffers and other practices. A larger cost-share may be available to provide incentives to enroll lands in continuous CRP practices.

The USDA manages CRP through the Farm Service Agency, with technical assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Changes in the 2002 Farm Bill: The 2002 Farm Bill raised the enrollment cap from 36.4 million to 39.2 million acres, meaning that up to 7 million acres will be available for enrollment between now and 2007. The new Farm Bill also expands the Farmable Wetlands Program from a pilot program to up to 1 million acres of small wetlands.

How to Apply: You can apply for continuous enrollment practices at any time by contacting your local FSA office (see resources below). General enrollment signups occur periodically – the FSA expects to offer a general enrollment sometime between October 2002 and September 2003.

For more information, visit: Conservation Reserve Programs

What it is: The Wetlands Reserve Program provides farmers with cost-share assistance and long-term (30-year) and permanent easements to restore wetlands that have been degraded by agriculture. Eligible lands include farmed wetlands and wet pasture and range lands, flooded farmland, and lands that border or link to protected wetlands.

Changes in the 2002 Farm Bill: The 2002 Farm Bill reauthorized WRP and nearly doubled the available acreage, allowing the Natural Resources Conservation Service to enroll up to 250,000 acres in each of the next six years.

How to Apply: Applications for WRP can be submitted at any time through your local NRCS office. You can also get an application online by entering Natural Resources Conservation Service in the Agency field, Wetlands Reserve Program in the Program Name Field, and CCC-1250 in the Form Number field.

For more information, visit: Wetlands Reserve Program

What it is: The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program provides cost-share assistance to producers to improve and protect wildlife habitat for a period of five years or longer. It has been a small program in the past, but received significantly more funding in the 2002 Farm bill, and is known for its flexibility, and for being applicable to a wide range of wildlife needs.

Changes in the 2002 Farm Bill: WHIP is now governed by conservation compliance rules. A new provision UDSA will pay a larger percentage of the cost share for agreements of 15 years or longer. WHIP may also be used to protect plant habitat.

How to Apply: Applications are being accepted now for fiscal year 2002. The application deadline is July 19. Contact your local NRCS office or conservation district office or get an application online.

What it is: The Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides cost-share and incentives payments to farmers to help address a wide range of natural resource issues. The goal of the program is to help farmers comply with environmental laws.

Changes in the 2002 Farm Bill: The EQIP program got a huge boost in funding in the 2002 Farm Bill, but lost safeguards that prevented it from being used by large confined animal feeding operations. In fact, up to 60% of the funds in the program can now be used by large feedlots for building manure handling technologies. Because it is by far the largest conservation program, EQIP still provides a huge pot of money for farmers to solve natural resource issues, including enhancement of wildlife habitat. The new Farm Bill also removed priority areas from consideration under EQIP, so farmers and ranchers throughout the US are encouraged to apply.

How to apply: Contact your local NRCS office or conservation district office or get an application online.

For more information, visit: Environmental Quality Incentives Program

What it is: The Conservation Security Program is a new program authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill. It will provide three tiers of income support to farmers who implement and maintain stewardship practices on their working lands. The three tiers will be based upon the extent and type of conservation practice, and will include higher payments at each tier. Implementation rules are currently being drafted.

How to Apply: The CSP will not be accepting applications until Fiscal Year 2003. Look for more information here or at the NRCS website.

For more information: Information will be posted on the NRCS website as details about the program are worked out.

What it is: The Farmland Protection Program offers farmers 30-year to permanent easements to keep their land in agricultural usage. In return the farmer gets a payment for the easement, which is based on fair market value. FPP has been effective in protecting agricultural lands that are threatened by urban sprawl.

Changes in the 2002 Farm Bill: The new Farm Bill expands the FPP to include farm and ranchland containing historical and archaeological sites, and allows non-governmental organizations to hold easements.

How to Apply: The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting FPP proposals now! The request for proposals was published on May 30 and the deadline is July 15, 2002.

• Farmland Protection Program
• American farmland Trust

What it is: The Grasslands Reserve Program is a new program designed to restore and protect up to 2 million acres of grasslands. It will focus on grazing lands, grasslands threatened with conversion, and native prairie.

For more information: The GRP is not yet accepting applications. Information and application instructions should be available within a few months at the USDA’s Farm Bill Conservation Programs Page.

Other Resources:

• Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Farm Bill Implementation
• USDA Farm Bill Conservation Programs
• Locate Your Local NRCS Office
• Locate Your Local FSA Office
• Locate Your Local Conservation District Office
• The Farm Bill Network
  Information, advice, and success stories on conservation programs.