8/17/2017 0 Comments Us Conservation Reserve Program![]() The Conservation Reserve Program. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. White House; USA.gov. Conservation Reserve Program Taking environmentally sensitive land out of production and establishing long-term ground cover In some parts of the country, marginal, highly erodible lands are not ideal for agricultural. USDA recognizes that conservation by farmers. Conservation Reserve Program . Sustainability Alliance. Background: Congress created the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in 1. Today, the CRP includes approximately 2. Land enrolled in the CRP is often highly erodible and cannot be sustainably farmed in accordance with a conservation plan: Its cultivation would lead to unacceptable levels of soil, wind or water erosion. Eligible land normally must have been farmed during a specified prior period, although there are some exceptions. The Agricultural Act of 2. CRP, up to 2 million acres. Program Operation: Farmers do not simply retire CRP land from production; they must implement approved conservation practices. ![]() The practices range from establishing native grasses as a cover to planting trees or establishing permanent wildlife habitat. Farmers can enroll land in the CRP through periodic general signups, and through a continuous signup that includes especially critical areas like riparian buffers, restored wetlands and buffers for wildlife habitat. In general signups, USDA accepts offers from farmers and ranks the offers using a scientifically- developed Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) that measures the proposed conservation practices’ effects on water quality, reduced erosion, wildlife habitat and other factors, as well as cost. About 8. 3% of CRP land has been enrolled through general signups, and about 1. CRP contracts are binding agreements for 1. In exchange for implementation of the conservation practices specified in the contract, USDA makes annual rental payments to the landowner. Rental payments vary widely by state because of differences in land values and productivity, but in 2. What is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)? The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) helps America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest owners to voluntarily conserve environmentally sensitive land. Introduced in the 1985 Farm Bill, CRP once supported 37 million acres. In recent years, total federal spending on the program has been around $1. The CRP’s environmental benefits have been well- documented. CRP improves water quality by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff in fields. Grass filters and riparian buffers intercept contaminants before they enter waterways. Grass and tree planting reduce nitrate loss, while restored and constructed wetlands convert nitrate into benign atmospheric nitrogen. Wildlife habitat benefits have also been demonstrated through numerous studies; bird populations increased (or previous declines stopped) for numerous species, including prairie pothole ducks, ringed- neck pheasants, sage grouse and northern bobwhite quail. CRP has also been shown to sequester more carbon on private lands than any other federal program – the equivalent of a 4. By focusing on fragile and highly erodible lands, the CRP has reduced cumulative soil erosion since 1. Administration and Enforcement: The CRP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), but technical assistance on land eligibility as well as planning and implementing conservation practices is provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Under the 2. 01. 4 farm bill, total CRP acreage will be limited to an eventual 2. Statutory Authority: 1.
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