USDA issued nearly $2 billion to conservation efforts in 2023

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued $1.77 billion to agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program, with $402 million going to Iowa and $150.8 million to Minnesota in 2023.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a part of the USDA’s effort to “support climate-smart agriculture and forestry on working lands.” The USDA accomplishes this by “renting” a portion of land. The USDA will contract agricultural producers and landowners with environmentally sensitive agricultural land to not farm or ranch their land, but instead devote their land to conservation benefits for 10 to 15 years.

The CRP began in 1985 under the Reagan Administration, and is regarded as one of the largest private-lands conservation programs in the United States, according to the USDA.

The CRP participants establish USDA-approved conserving plant species, or “covers.” The covers act to counter soil erosion, improve water quality, provide literal cover for native fauna and further develop native wildlife habitats.

“These producers and landowners voluntarily place their land under contract and, in the spirit of stewardship, agree to establish and maintain prescribed conservation practices for the life of contract,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We’re grateful to all CRP participants who are making a tremendous difference by proactively addressing climate change and conserving natural resources now and for future generations.”

According to the USDA rental rates are subject to an 85% proration for general signup and a 90% proration for continuous signup, further incentivizing long-term cooperation between both the USDA and the landowner.

In 2021, the USDA also announced increased payments to CRP participants meeting particular thresholds and practices. For example, a 10% increased incentive for water quality benefitting practices.

Landowners can voluntarily apply to participate in CRP, but not all land is eligible for CRP. Land must have an agricultural commodity history of at least four years since 2012 to 2017. The land also must be capable of being planted, legal restrictions include bindings or easement. Some pasturelands cannot qualify.

Generally, land must already reach an erosion index of eight or higher, be located in a national or state CRP conservation area, or be previously enrolled in a CRP contract.

The land also must be obtained either as a result from the previous owners death, ownership change occurred due to foreclosure