Release No. 1598.00

Jillene Johnson (202) 720-9733
jillene_johnson@wdc.fsa.usda.gov

Questions and Answers

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program or CREP (pronounced "krep") is a federal-state land retirement conservation program targeted to address state and nationally significant agriculture-related environmental problems. This voluntary program uses financial incentives to encourage farmers and ranchers to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in contracts of 10 to 15 years to remove lands from agricultural production. CRP is authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended.

CREP is a federal and state partnership agreement to retire environmentally sensitive land through the CRP. The Missouri CREP involves the protection of water supplies of 83 reservoirs that provide water for 58 public water supplies. Improving water quality will reduce the need for more costly treatment systems.

Producers can offer land in any part of the 83 watersheds that meets the eligibility requirements identified for the Missouri CREP.

The goals of the Missouri CREP are to:

• reduce the occurrence of pesticides in all 58 watersheds by 50 percent.
• reduce the occurrence of sediment inflow into water supply reservoirs by 50 percent.
• reduce soil erosion rates to substantially less than 5 tons per acre.
• help agricultural producers meet nutrient reduction goals.
• provide substantial wildlife habitat enhancement for the preservation of natural diversity of the state.

To better serve program goals, specific CRP conservation practices have been identified for inclusion in the program. These are:

• CP1 Introduced Grasses
• CP2 Native Grasses
• CP3A Hardwood Tree Planting
• CP15A Contour Grass Strips
• CP21 Filter strips
• CP22 Riparian buffers
• CP23 Wetland restoration
• CP4D Wildlife habitat

Eligible producers will be able to enroll in 14 to 15-year CRP contracts. Producers may extend the benefits of the program through separate contracts with the state. The applicant must be able to offer eligible acreage. The applicant also must satisfy the basic eligibility criteria for CRP. Land must be cropland that has been cropped 2 out of the past 5 years and that is physically and legally capable of being cropped. Marginal pastureland can also be eligible to be enrolled provided it is suitable for use as a riparian buffer planted to trees. In addition, producers enrolling the land must generally have owned or operated the land for at least 1 year prior to enrollment. Persons who have an existing CRP contract or an approved offer with a contract pending are not eligible for CREP until that contract expires.

There are four types of payments being made by USDA for which participants in the Missouri CREP will be eligible: Signing Incentive Payment (SIP), Practice Incentive Payment (PIP), annual rental payments, and cost-share assistance for the installation of the conservation practices on land that is retired. The SIP is a one time payment of $140 to $150 per acre for land enrolled in a riparian buffer practice or filter strip. This payment is made soon after the contract has been signed. In addition, a PIP equal to about 40 percent of the total cost for establishing the practice will be made. The PIP is in addition to the 50 percent cost-share assistance that FSA will provide. Producers will also receive an annual rental payment from USDA. Generally, the payment will be between 115 percent to 125 percent of the dryland cash rental rate for the county in which the land is located.

Missouri will offer one-time lump sum incentive payments equal to 150 percent of the annual rental rates, and also pay a portion of the cost-share assistance.

Based on the full implementation of the Missouri CREP which projects an enrollment of 50,000 acres, the expected combined financial federal and state obligation will be approximately $85 million over 15 years, with $70 million coming from the federal government and $15 million coming from the state. This does not include any costs that may be borne by producers. Missouri’s share is approximately 20 percent of the total program costs and the federal government share is approximately 80 percent.

Yes. CREP is another option that farmers may select to enhance their land; applicants may still enroll in the regular general CRP or continuous sign-up CRP. However, CREP provides additional benefits not available through the general and/or continuous sign-up. The CREP enrollment process is on a continuous basis and payments are at a higher effective rate.

Haying and grazing is not permitted during the CRP contract period unless USDA permits it for emergency purposes under normal CRP rules.

Contact the county U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center, Farm Service Agency local office, Soil and Water Conservation District, or State of Missouri Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Interested farmers can learn about the program by contacting their local Farm Service Agency offices or visiting website: http://www.fsa.usda.gov

Additional information can also be found at website: http://www.gov.state.mo.us

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NOTE: Farm Service Agency (FSA) news releases and media advisories are available on the World Wide Web at FSA’s Home Page: http://www.fsa.usda.gov

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