Governor Recognizes 500 Acres of CREP

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas was on hand at the Devries Farm to celebrate the completion of 500 acres of Vermont farmland planted to buffers under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in Addison County.  The CREP program establishes riparian or tree-lined or grass buffers along Vermont streams and water bodies to filter out runoff nutrients before they enter the water.  The program is a partnership between the Farm Service Agency, State of Vermont, NRCS, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…and most importantly the farmer and landowners that voluntarily participate.

The State of Vermont provided monetary support for the program along with funds from USDA for financial incentives to landowners to fence cattle out of streams and plant trees and grasses to establish the buffers.  Averaging 25- to 100-feet wide — that's roughly over 55 miles of buffers along Addison Country streams that have been completed.
Your contact is Anne Hilliard, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 802-951-6796, ext. 234.