Why Choose CRP? You Benefit. Land, Water and Wildlife Benefit. 

Rare and Declining Habitat restores and protects critically endangered and threatened habitat and ecosystems. 

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides farmers and landowners with practices like this to achieve 

many farming and conservation goals. Whatever the conservation challenge - soil conservation, water quality 

protection or wildlife habitat enhancement - CRP is a proven land performance and management solution.

Why Rare and Declining 

Habitat Restoration?

Restoring rare and declining habitat such as 

tallgrass prairie, wet meadows, and sage steppe 

with appropriate native plant species helps increase 

vegetation diversity and provide vital habitat for 

declining wildlife species. These habitats offer nesting 

and escape cover, flowers for pollinators and a stable 

source of food for wildlife in a native ecosystem. 

Offered in general sign-up, CP-25:

• Rehabilitates functions of endangered habitats

• Provides wildlife nesting and escape cover and is a 

resource for food 

• Reduces soil erosion

• Supplies nutrition for pollinators

Farm Service Agency USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Financial Benefits

CP-25 participants are guaranteed:

• 10-15 years of annual rental payments

• Cost-Share payments covering up to 50% of the 

eligible costs of establishing the habitat restoration 

practice

• Mid-contract management Cost Share

• Additional incentives may be available in your state 

under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement 

Program (CREP) 

Wildlife Habitat | Soil and Water Quality | Pollinator Habitat

Conservation Reserve Program

CP-25

Rare and Declining Habitat

Photo provided by USFWS
Farm Service Agency USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FSA will ultimately determine participant and land eligibility.

Eligible Land

• Planted or considered planted 4 out of 6 

years between 2008 and 2013 

• Capable of being planted to an agricultural 

commodity

• Compliant with USDA’s highly erodible land 

and wetland provisions

Practice Requirements

• Noxious weeds and other undesirable plants, 

insects and pests shall be controlled 

• The practice will be maintained without 

additional cost-share payments

Owner/Operator Eligibility

Participants must: 

• Have owned or operated the land for more 

than 12 months prior to program sign-up

• Be in control of the land for the length of the 

contract 

• Meet USDA payment eligibility provisions

Obligations

Participants will:

• Not harvest or graze the practice area except under 

certain approved conditions

• Work with USDA-approved conservationist to 

develop a conservation plan

• Perform periodic management activities according 

to the conservation plan

• Complete seeding of the practice within 12 months 

of the effective date of the contract

CP-25

For More Information:

Contact your local USDA, Farm Service Agency:

http://offices.usda.gov

Proven Conservation Benefits

• In prime habitat, a 4% increase in CRP vegetation is 

associated with a 22% increase in pheasant counts

• CRP reduced nutrient losses in FY 2014 by an 

estimated 542 million pounds of nitrogen and 108 

million pounds of phosphorus

• In 2014, CRP lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 

the equivalent of 43 million metric tons of CO2 - the 

same benefits as taking nearly 8 million cars off the 

road for a year

Photos provided by FSA Kansas, USFWS Steve Hillebrand, USFWS Lamar Gore, respectively