The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides technical and financial assistance to eligible farmers and ranchers to address soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides assistance to farmers and ranchers in complying with Federal, State, and tribal environmental laws, and encourages environmental enhancement. The program is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). CRP is administered by the Farm Service Agency, with NRCS providing technical land eligibility determinations, Environmental Benefit Index Scoring, and conservation planning.

The Conservation Reserve Program reduces soil erosion, protects the Nation's ability to produce food and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes, improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat, and enhances forest and wetland resources. It encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract. Cost sharing is provided to establish the vegetative cover practices.

-- Source: Florida NRCS

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), each acre under a CRP contract reduces erosion by an average of 19 tons of top soil per year. This improves water quality in water bodies by reducing sediment and reducing the amount of nutrients and pesticides swept into lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Also, producers who enroll acreage in CRP significantly reduce their application of pesticides and fertilizers on those acres, largely eliminating these acres as a source of runoff containing excess quantities of these materials.

Other benefits include:

lower water treatment costs

lower sedimentation removal costs

reduced flood damage

improved aquatic and riparian habitats

larger and more diverse populations of aquatic wildlife

increased water-based recreational values

reduced maintenance costs for water navigation systems

reduced eutrophication and stagnation, resulting from lower levels of nutrients and pesticides.

Downloads and References

CRP Interim Rule - (May 2003)
General CRP Fact Sheet - (April 2003)
CRP Continuous Signup Fact Sheet - (June 2006)

More CRP Info on FSA Web Site
More CRP Info on Florida NRCS Web Site

CRP: Planting for the Future - Conference Recap
Cosponsored by USDA's Farm Service Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey
June 6-9, 2004
Fort Collins, Colorado