# Presentation: 381513

## ContinuousConservationReserveProgram

## CRP Objective

- CRP’s objective is to cost-effectively assist owners and operators in conserving and improving the nation’s natural resource base.

## CCRP Purpose

- The purpose of CCRP is to enroll small, environmentally sensitive acreages.
- Practices generally provide high environmental benefits to large areas when compared to the acreage devoted to the practice.

## Eligible persons

- Individual
- Associations
- Trusts
- Legal Entities
- Local Governments
- Indian Tribal ventures

- Corporations
- Joint Stock Companies
- Estates
- State Governments
- Joint Operations

## Eligible persons 

- Owned or Operated the land for 12 months before submitting offer.
- Acquired land by will or succession due to death.

## Eligible land

- Cropland planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity during 4 of 6 crop years from 1996 through 2001.
- Physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity, as determined by COC.

## Eligible land

- Marginal pastureland is NOT:
- 	- Cropland, forest, or woodland.
- Must be:
- 	- immediately adjacent & parallel to qualifying water.
- 	- devoted to CP-22, CP-29, or CP-30.

## Eligible practices

- Riparian Buffers
- Wildlife Habitat Buffers
- Wetland Buffers
- Filter Strips
- Wetland Restoration
- Grass Waterways

## Eligible practices

- Shelterbelts
- Living Snow Fences
- Contour Grass Strips
- Shallow Water Areas For Wildlife
- Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds
- Longleaf Pine

## Annual Payments

- Cropland:  Maximum payment rate =
- 		SRR’s for the 3 predominant soils
- 	 +  Practice Incentives
- 	 +  Maintenance Rate.
- Marginal Pastureland:  Max pay rate =
-         MPALL
-     +  Practice Incentives
-     +  Maintenance Rate.

## CRP-SIP

- CRP-SIP is a one-time incentive payment for CP5A, CP8A, CP16A, CP17A, CP21, CP22, CP27, CP28, CP29, CP30, CP33, and CP36.
- CRP-SIP is calculated by multiplying the number of eligible acres enrolled times the number of full years of CRP-1 times $10.

## PIP

- PIP is a one-time incentive payment applicable to all CCRP practices except CP15B, CP23, CP23A, and CP31.
- PIP is equal to 40 percent of the total eligible cost of practice installation.

## Soil Rental Rates (SRR’s)

- Soil Rental Rates are based on the relative productivity of the soil type and the dryland cash rental rate estimate for the county.

## Marginal Pastureland Rental Rates (MPLALL’s)

- One rate per county.
- Rate reflects grazing land cash rental value of most recent 3 years.

-  ConservationPlanDevelopment

## Establishing Practices

- CCRP participants shall agree to establish and maintain approved practices according to the conservation plan of operations.
- Approved permanent cover is required to be seeded within 12 months after the CRP-1 effective date.  However, NRCS or TSP, in consultation with COC, may permit up to an additional 12 months if any of the following apply:

- the specific site conditions require additional time to seed the approved cover
- the approved grass seed, grass mixture, trees, or shrubs are not available
- seed costs will create an adverse economic hardship on the participant.
- (Permitting an additional 12 months to seed shall be on case-by-case basis and recorded in conservation plan.)

## Additional 12 Months

- COC may approve a revised plan to allow up to an additional 12 months to seed if:
- the approved grass seed, grass mixture, trees, or shrubs are not available
- seed costs will create an adverse economic hardship on the participant
- adverse weather prevents timely seeding the approved permanent cover.

## Temporary Covers

- If the approved cover cannot be seeded within 12 months of the effective date of CRP-1, a temporary cover shall be seeded according to the conservation plan.  Cost share for the temporary cover, if needed, is authorized.
- Viable native or tame grass species that are adequately controlling erosion may be adequate temporary cover.

## Maintaining Practices

- CRP cover maintenance is the participant’s responsibility, without cost-share assistance.
- Maintenance, such as spraying and mowing  is required to control erosion, undesirable vegetation, weeds, insects, rodents, etc.
- After establishment, all maintenance activities shall be conducted outside the primary nesting season. (April 15-September15)

## Managing Practices

- All CRP participants beginning with SU26 are required to perform management activities designed to ensure plant diversity and wildlife benefits, while ensuring protection of the soil and water resources.
- Management activities must be conducted outside the primary nesting season.
- Management activities are eligible for C/S. *

## Cost Share Policy

- References:
- 	- 2-CRP Part 20
- 	- 1-CONSV

## Component Codes 2-CRP Ex.9

| CODE | DESCRIPTION | UNIT | RATE |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BURN | Prescribed Burn | Acre | $12.50 |
| LMBK | Lime-bulk | Ton | $12.50 |
| SP2 | Post-Planting  Release Spray | Acre | $37.50 |
| TPL | Tree-plant, hand, longleaf | Acre | $67.50 |
| TS | Tree-shelters | Each | $1.00 |

## Permissive Uses of CRP

- Customary forestry activities, such as pruning, thinning, or timber improvement may be conducted anytime, including during the primary nesting season.
- Turn rows or crossing areas.
- Public use (gas lines, cable, telephone poles, etc.)
- Carbon sequestration credits
- Recreational hunting.

- Commercial shooting preserve under certain situations
- Applying waste products on the CRP land
- Windmills, wind turbans, etc.
- Haying and grazing under certain conditions.

## Restrictive Uses of CRP

- No crop of any kind may be harvested from CRP acreage during the CRP-1.
- Pine straw harvest is prohibited at all times.
- Cosmetic mowing is prohibited at all times.

## Practice Certification

- FSA County Offices shall determine the total number of AD-862’s that must be certified by NRCS or TSP.  NRCS or TSP must certify 10 percent of AD-862’s.
- Practices with greater technical complexity shall be given priority when selecting the 10 percent.
-    i.e. CP8A, CP9, CP21, CP22, CP23, etc.

## Status Reviews

- NRCS or TSP will complete a status review with the participant and COC representative, if possible, on up to 10 percent of al CRP-1’s before the end of each FY until all practices in the plan are applied and the cover is established.
- NCDFR will provide NRCS or TSP with 2 listings by name and CRP-1 number for contracts having tree plantings that:

- do not have adequate cover established or require replanting
- have established adequate tree cover and have not been reported as established
- have not been thinned according to the conservation plan.
- NRCS or TSP will provide FSA a copy of this list indicating “Final Status Review”.

- NRCS or TSP will provide COC signed copies of the annual status reviews and the following, if applicable:
-  the reason why the practices have not been established
- why the practice does not meet the design standards and specifications
- what action must be taken for the practice to meet the standards and specifications

- the estimated time it will take to meet the standards and specifications

## Spot Checks

- FSA will conduct annual spot checks after NRCS or TSP certifies on a final status review that the practice is established .
- FSA shall conduct annual spot checks on at least 10 percent of CRP-1’s.  5 percent of the selected farms should have an onsite visit.

## Potential CREPExpansion