The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) allows farmers, ranchers or
any individual who owns environmentally sensitive land to avoid contributing to
water pollution and soil erosion, both of which are common and serious
problems on sloped land, areas near a water source, or land that is
otherwise particularly susceptible to erosion. But what’s CRP’s fastest selling point? Landowners actually get paid to enroll their land.

The CRP program is conducted by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The program is very simple in structure. Landowners enroll their eligible land in 10- to 15-year contracts, plant and
maintain an approved cover crop (trees, native grasses or other crops),
and receive an annual payment for their efforts from the USDA’s
Commodity Credit Corporation. In some cases, landowners may receive an additional
payment to assist with the costs associated with establishing the cover
crop.

Areas that are prone to erosion (most commonly cultivated farmland or
grassland that is grazed heavily by livestock) need structure in the form of a
strong root base to hold the soil intact and prevent it, along with the
nutrients or chemicals it contains, from blowing away or washing into a
nearby waterway. These areas are of top concern for the FSA and their hopes are to help landowners conserve their lands by providing a strong root base with cover crops.

These cover crops (strips of trees, shrubs, forbs and/or grasses planted along stream banks
or as field windbreaks) reduce erosion
by as much as 80 percent on cropped or heavily grazed land. These various plants can live just about anywhere they are planted including, contoured fields, along waterways, in drainage channels or floodplains. Above ground, these plants act as a filter by catching sediment and
slowing runoff from rainfall or the winter's snowmelt, allowing it to soak into the
ground and recharge groundwater resources while discouraging flash
flooding.

This past year, the program celebrated its 20th anniversary with numerous success stores from all over the US. Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa, had this to say about the continual success of the CRP program, "The Conservation Reserve Program has been very successful in helping
farmers conserve our precious soil, improve our water quality and
preserve natural habitats for wildlife. As we celebrate the 20th
anniversary of the CRP, let us rededicate ourselves to sound
conservation and management of our nation?s agricultural lands."

If you wish to contribute your land and enroll in this program, contact your local FSA office or visit the FSA website for the CRP Sign-Up List to see if your land qualifies for acceptance.

CRP Website: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp-sp

FSA Website:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=fsahome&subject=landing&topic=la...

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