CONSERVATION

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY FACT SHEET January 2015

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program – Vermont

OVERVIEW

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), the state of 

Vermont, and the Commodity Credit Corporation 

(CCC) are partners in a voluntary $18.75 million 

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) 

to improve water quality and enhance wildlife and 

aquatic habitat in four major lakes and river basins 

and their tributaries within the state.

THE PROGRAM

CREP is an offshoot of the USDA Conservation 

Reserve Program. CRP is a federally-funded 

voluntary program that contracts with agricultural 

producers so that environmentally sensitive 

agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead 

used for conservation benefits. CRP participants 

establish long-term, resource-conserving plant 

species, such as approved grasses or trees (known 

as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water 

quality and develop wildlife habitat. In return, FSA 

provides participants with rental payments and 

cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 

and 15 years. CRP is authorized by the Food Security 

Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the Agricultural 

Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill).

CREP targets high-priority conservation issues 

identified by local, state, or tribal governments or 

non-governmental organizations. 

This CREP uses both federal and state resources, 

including federal and state funding, to meet state 

environmental objectives and to protect 

environmentally sensitive land on 7,500 acres 

throughout the entire state of Vermont. Although 

producers can voluntarily enroll in CREP for 10 to 

15 years, some practices may be enrolled with the 

state of Vermont for up to 30 years.

BENEFITS

This CREP will safeguard cropland or marginal 

pastureland surrounding streams and rivers in the four 

participating basins through changes in agricultural 

activity. Program participants will establish 

riparian forest buffers, filter strips, grassed waterways 

or restore wetlands. Retiring cropland and planting it 

to protective vegetation will enhance water quality by 

reducing nutrient and sedimentation. Buffers planted 

along stream banks and rivers will filter phosphorous 

and nitrogen runoff. Wetland restoration will improve 

wildlife habitat and aquatic wildlife.

GOALS

Through voluntary changes in agricultural activity, 

the goals of the Vermont CREP are to:

• Reduce non-point source pollution and nutrient 

and sediment loadings throughout Vermont;

• Enhance wildlife and aquatic habitat and;

• Reduce nitrogen and phosphorous loads in 

the four major lakes and river basins and their 

tributaries within the state. 

PROGRAM COST

The expected combined federal and state obligation is 

$18.75 million over 15 years, and for some practices 

up to 30 years, with $15 million from FSA and 

$3.75 million from Vermont. This does not include 

any cost that may be borne by producers. Vermont’s 

share is approximately 20 percent of the total 

program costs; FSA’s share is approximately 

80 percent.

ELIGIBLE AREAS

Producers can offer eligible cropland and marginal 

pastureland in all of Vermont’s watersheds. A map 

of the eligible areas is available in USDA service 

centers.

APPROVED CONSERVATION 

PRACTICES

Vermont CREP is authorized to enroll up to 

7,500 acres devoted to the following CRP practices:

• CP8A Grass Waterways;

• CP21 Filter Strips;

• CP22 Riparian Forest Buffer and;

• CP23 Wetland Restoration.
FACT SHEET

Vermont CREP January 2015

SIGNUP AND ELIGIBILTY 

REQUIREMENTS

Sign-up will continue until enrollment goals are met 

and as long as there is statutory authority for such 

enrollments. Eligible producers can enroll in 10 to 

15 year CRP contracts. Producers may extend the 

benefits of the program up to 30 years through 

separate contracts with the state.

Applicants must:

• Be able to offer eligible acreage and satisfy the 

basic eligibility criteria for CRP and;

• Generally have owned or operated the land for at 

least one year prior to enrollment.

Land must be cropland that has been cropped four out 

of the past six years (2008-2013) and is physically 

and legally capable of being cropped in a normal 

manner. Marginal pastureland is also eligible, 

provided it is suitable for use as a riparian buffer 

planted to trees. 

Persons with an existing CRP contract or an approved 

offer with a contract pending are not eligible for 

CREP until that contract expires. Other requirements 

will also apply. Contract terms will be set out in the 

CRP contract and regulations.

CREP PAYMENTS

Vermont CREP participants are eligible for four types 

of USDA payments, subject to contract terms and 

limitations:

• Signing Incentive Payment – a one-time payment 

consistent with Handbook 2-CRP (Rev. 5) for 

land enrolled in a riparian buffer practice, filter 

strip, or grassed waterway. FSA makes this payment soon after the contract has been signed.

• Practice Incentive Payment – payment equal to 

about 40 percent of the total cost for establishing riparian buffers, grass waterways, and filter 

strips. This payment is in addition to the 50 percent cost share assistance that FSA provides.

• Annual rental payment of about 200 percent 

of the maximum soil rental rate for the county 

in which the land is located, which includes an 

incentive payment of 100 percent of the base soil 

rental rate for CRP.

• Cost share assistance for installing the 

conservation practices in enrolled land.

ENROLLMENT IN OTHER PROGRAMS

CREP is another option under CRP that farmers and 

ranchers may select to enhance their land; applicants 

may still enroll eligible land in the regular general 

CRP or other CRP sign-ups when CREP is initiated. 

However, CREP may provide additional benefits not 

available through the general and/or continuous 

sign-up. For instance, per acre CREP payments are 

usually at a higher rate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the Vermont CREP, contact 

your local FSA office, or Soil and Water Conservation 

District office. To find your local FSA county office, 

click http://offices.usda.gov. To learn more about 

FSA conservation programs, visit 

www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 

discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national 

origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, 

familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part 

of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by 

the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all 

programs and/or employment activities.) Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, write to the 

address below or if you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA’s TARGET 

Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). Individuals 

who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities 

and wish to file either an EEO or program complaint, 

please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 

(800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). 

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of 

discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.

gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, 

or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also 

write a letter containing all of the information requested in 

the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter by 

mail to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 

Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at 

program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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