CCRP helps agricultural producers install riparian buffers (trees), filter strips (grass), wetland restoration, grass waterways, shelterbelts/windbreaks, living snow fences, shallow water areas for wildlife and more on eligible land. Eligible lands includes cropland (including field margins) that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity 4 out of a 6 year period, and which is physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity; or certain marginal pastureland that is for use as a riparian buffer.
Annual rental payments are provided to participants on lands enrolled in CRP. Rental rates are based on the relative productivity of the soils and the average dry-land cash rent or cash rent equivalent. Financial assistance is provided to participants who establish approved cover on eligible cropland and marginal pastureland. The financial assistance can be no more than 50 percent of the participant's cost to establish approved practices. Financial incentives of up to 20 percent of the soil rental rate for field windbreaks, grass waterways, filter strips, and riparian buffers. FSA also offers participants an up-front signing incentive payment (SIP) up to $100 per acre for eligible participants who enroll certain practices. The one-time SIP will be made after the contract is approved and all payment eligibility criteria are met; and a practice incentive payment (PIP) equal to 40 percent of the eligible installation costs for eligible participants who enroll certain practices. The one-time PIP will be issued after the practice is installed, eligible costs are verified, and other payment eligibility criteria are met.
The Scioto CREP is still active in Madison County, which provides nearly double the rental payment under CRP as described above.
Did you know that you now have an opportunity to cash in on the great deeds that you are already doing for the land? The Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary program designed to encourage producers of cropland, pasture, or woodland to adopt additional conservation practices to improve, maintain and manage existing practices. Per acre payments range from $12 to $22 for cropland, $7 to $14 for pasture, and $6 to $12 for woodland. Additionally, a crop producer can elect to adopt a resource conserving crop rotation, which will add $12 to $16 per acre. Applications are accepted continually and there are typically a few funding periods each year. Contact the District Conservationist or you can also get more information by visiting our website at www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov. Click on Programs at the top and navigate to the Conservation Stewardship Program to learn more. There is also a selfâscreening checklist http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CSP/csp_checklist.html that you can go through to determine if this program is right for you.
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program. It provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on private lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture.
The program offers a Permanent Easement which is a conservation easement in perpetuity; a 30-Year Easement, which provides payments at 75 percent of what would be paid for a permanent easement; and a Restoration Financial Agreement; which is an agreement (generally for a minimum of 10 years) to re-establish degraded or lost wetland habitat. USDA pays up to 75 percent of the cost of the restoration activity. This enrollment option does not place an easement on the property. For both permanent and 30-year easements, USDA pays all costs associated with recording the easement in the local land records office, including recording fees, charges for abstracts, survey and appraisal fees, and title insurance.
EQIP offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land, such as fencing, watering facilities, concrete pads for livestock and chemical mixing, soil grid sampling, animal waste storage systems, and so forth. Persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program.
Incentive payments may be provided for up to three years to encourage producers to carry out management practices they may not otherwise use without the incentive. However, limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for greater levels of financial aide.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a program for people who want to voluntarily develop and enhance wildlife habitat on primarily private land. NRCS provides the technical assistance with cost-share payments used to establish, maintain, or replace wildlife habitat practices. Cost-sharing will reimburse up to 75 percent of costs. Federal or State wildlife agencies or private organizations may provide additional funding or expertise to help complete a project. Generally the total cost share cannot exceed $15,000 per contract. The cost-share agreement normally lasts from 5 - 10 years from the date the contract is signed. Under the agreement, the landowner agrees to maintain the cost-shared practices and allow NRCS access to monitor the effectiveness of the practices.
The NRCS will help the participant establish a plan, which will describe the participant's goals for improving wildlife habitat. It will include a list of practices and a schedule for installing them. Also included will be details on the steps necessary to maintain the habitat for the extent of the agreement. This plan can, but is not required to, be a part of a larger conservation plan for the area.
To be eligible, the land must be agricultural or private non industrial forest. In general, the minimize size is 5 acres, although exceptions are allowed. The land cannot be enrolled in another program such as CRP, WRP, etc.
The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a voluntary program that assists farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. The program provides matching funds to State, Tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations with existing farm and ranch land protection programs to purchase conservation easements.
