The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is an opportunity for producers to enroll environmentally sensitive land to improve water quality, control soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Land is accepted into the program if bid qualifies.

FSA (Farm Service Agency) provides annual rental payments to participants in return for establishing long-term resource conserving covers. Rental rates are based on the relative productivity of the soils and the average dryland cash rent. Cost share assistance to establish approved cover can be an amount not more than 50% of the costs.

A producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to the close of the CRP sign-up. To be eligible for placement in CRP, land must be either:

-Cropland that is planted to an agricultural commodity 4 of the previous 6 crop years from 1996 to 2001.
-Certain marginal pastureland that is enrolled in the Water Bank Program or suitable for use as a riparian buffer or for similar water quality purposes.
-Have a weighted average erosion index of 8 or higher
-Be expiring CRP acreage.

Producers can offer land for CRP general sign-up enrollment only during designated sign-up periods. For information on upcoming sign-ups contact the Chippewa County FSA office at 715-723-8556.

CRP Continuous Sign-Up

Environmentally desirable land devoted to certain conservation practices may be enrolled at any time under CRP continuous sign-up.Certain eligibility requirements still apply, but offers are not subject to competitive bidding.