2a. Abatement/Orville Iwen - Laserfiche WebLink

Farm Service Agency USDA United States Department of Agriculture Fact Sheet February ~997 Conservation Reserve Program -- Continuous Sign-Up for High Priority Conservation Practices Authorization The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, authorizes the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which is implemented through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Overview The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that offers annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term resource-conserving covers on eligible land. The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) makes annual rental payments based on the agriculture rental value of the land and provides cost share assistance in an amount equal to not more than 50 percent of the participant's costs in establishing approved practices. The durations of contracts are from 10 to 15 years. Start Date Continuous Sign-Up began September 4, 1996, and is scheduled to be available indefinitely. Continuous CRP Sign. Up Continuous sign-up provides management flexibility to farmers and ranchers to implement certain high-priority conservation practices on eligible land. Offers are automatically accepted, provided the acreage and producer meet certain eligibility requirements. The per-acre rental rate may not exceed the CCC's maximum payment amount. While acceptance is not determined by a competitive bidding process, producers may elect to receive an amount less than the maximum payment rate. Eligible Land and Practices To be eligible under continuous sign-up, land must first meet the basic CRP eligibility requirements. Acceptable land is the following: (1) Cropland that was planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity 2 of the 5 most recent crop years (including field margins) which is also physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity; or (2) Marginal pasture land that is suitable for use as a riparian buffer to be planted to trees. The acreage must also be determined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to be eligible and suitable for any of the following practices: · Riparian buffers; · Filter strips; · Grass waterways; · Shelter belts; · Field windbreaks; · Living snow fences; · Contour grass strips; · Salt tolerant vegetation; or · Shallow water areas for wildlife. Also eligible is acreage within an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated wellhead protection area. Producer Eligibility Requirements Land must have been owned or operated for at least 12 months prior to close of the sign-up pedod unless: · The new owner acquired the land as a result of death of the previous owner; continues