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Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
New Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Agreement, LA CREP II, Signed
for Louisiana Coastal Prairie
Staff Contact:
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Tim Landreneau,
State Program Specialist
Phone: (318) 473-7759
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Fax: (318) 473-7682
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the state of Louisiana entered
into a new Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreement on Feb. 4,
2011, to improve water quality in the Louisiana Coastal Prairie Region. The new
LA CREP II agreement will include portions of Acadia, Allen, Calcasieu,
Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, St. Landry and Vermilion parishes.
"This effort will help reduce the delivery of agricultural non-point source
pollution to water bodies in the region through the establishment of native
grasses, shallow water areas for wildlife, and restoration of rare and declining
habitat areas," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "It will also help
increase the native Coastal Prairie acreage by 500 percent, to more than 2,500
acres."
LA CREP II is a partnership among USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), the
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Soil and Water
Conservation, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and private
organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy, which provided
a significant financial contribution for the agreement's implementation. Through
this valuable partnership, participants will be offered incentives for the
installation of needed conservation practices.
LA CREP II seeks to enroll 15,050 acres located in the watersheds of the
Mermentau River Basin area into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Landowners can voluntarily offer eligible cropland in the seven different
parishes within the watershed for a contract period lasting between 14 to 15
years. By doing so, the state seeks to improve water quality and establish,
preserve and/or enhance wildlife habitat leading to an increased population and
diversity of birds, mammals and aquatic organisms.
Over the course of the contracts, the partners will provide LA CREP II
participants certain incentive payments and cost-share assistance for installing
approved conservation practices. Also provided are annual rental payments plus
incentive payments of 50 percent of the base CRP contract annual rental rate for
the life of the contract.
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The state of Louisiana and private partners will
contribute at least 20 percent of the overall costs of implementing LA CREP II,
including making a one-time up front Best Management Practice (BMP) payment of
$61.10 per qualified acre and will provide additional cost-share assistance
above the established 50 percent federal cost share. The state also will pay all
costs associated with the LA CREP II annual water quality monitoring program and
provide additional technical assistance, where resources are available, to
develop and implement conservation plans. The Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality will assist in water quality monitoring.
Sign-up for LA CREP II will begin March 14, 2011, and will continue until
enrollment goals are attained and/or as long as there is statutory authority for
such CRP enrollment. More information on LA CREP II is available at local FSA,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Louisiana Soil and Water
Conservation District offices. Information may also be found on
FSA's website.
Fact Sheet
Last Modified:
07/23/2012
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