NEWS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Communications News Room 460-A
Washington, DC 20250-1300
Internet: News@usda.gov   Phone: 202-720-9035
World Wide Web Home Page: http://www.usda.gov

Release No. 0059.04
                               Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623
                              Jillene Johnson (202) 720-9733

    VENEMAN ANNOUNCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM TO PROTECT
      NEW JERSEY STREAMS FEEDING INTO ATLANTIC OCEAN

      WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2004 -- Agriculture Secretary
Ann M. Veneman today announced a $100 million Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partnership with the
State of New Jersey to improve water quality of streams
filtering into the Atlantic Ocean.

      "This partnership will result in the planting of
30,000 acres of New Jersey farmland to grasses and trees
to help prevent pollutants from entering waterways that
feed into the Atlantic Ocean," said Veneman.

      USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator James
R. Little and New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey
signed the CREP agreement at the 2004 New Jersey State
Agricultural Convention in Long Branch.  The officials
said that the New Jersey CREP will contribute to the
state's goal of establishing greater expanses of open
space, a critical step toward ensuring the health of
watersheds throughout the state.

      Planting buffers, filter strips and grass along
farmland streams will annually prevent 26,000 pounds of
phosphorous and seven million pounds of soil from
polluting the state's waterways.  The improved water
quality will help restore ecological functions of streams,
provide critical habitat for wildlife and reduce
biological impairment in the Atlantic Ocean.  Areas
targeted for the New Jersey CREP include cropland and
marginal pastureland in the Delaware and Wallkill
watersheds and the Northeast, Raritan and Atlantic regions
of the state.

      CREP is a voluntary program that pays participants
to implement conservation practices on environmentally
sensitive land.  In return, participants receive annual
rental payments paid on a per-acre basis, cost-share
assistance and other financial incentives.  CREP combines
an existing FSA program, the Conservation Reserve Program,
with state programs to meet specific state and national
environmental objectives.  CREP partnerships with states,
tribal governments and private groups provide a
coordinated approach to addressing critical conservation
issues of the state and nation.

      Sign-up for the New Jersey CREP begins March 15,
2004, and continues until enrollment goals are attained,
or through Dec. 31, 2007, whichever comes first.  Land
enrolled in the program will remain under contract for a
period of 10 to 15 years, as specified in the contract. 
The total cost over a 15-year period is estimated at $100
million, with USDA contributing $77 million and New Jersey
State funding $23 million.

      Over the course of the contracts, CREP participants
will receive from FSA incentive payments and cost-share
assistance for installing approved conservation practices. 
FSA will also provide annual rental payments for the life
of the contract.

      New Jersey State will offer participants cost-share
assistance for practice installation and, in certain
cases, permanent CREP easements.

      Producers can obtain more information on CREP from
their local FSA offices and on FSA's Web site at:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/default.htm

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