CONSERVATION

Page 1

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY FACT SHEET December 2015

Conservation Reserve Program, 49th General Enrollment Period

Dec. 1, 2015, through Feb. 26, 2016

OVERVIEW

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will conduct 

a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general 

enrollment period from Dec. 1, 2015, through 

Feb. 26, 2016.

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. Accepted contracts for the 49th CRP 

enrollment period will begin Oct. 1, 2016.

In its 30th year, CRP is authorized by the Food 

Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the 

Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). FSA 

administers CRP, while other USDA agencies and 

partners provide technical support. More detailed 

information on CRP is available in the FSA fact 

sheet, “Conservation Reserve Program.” 

SUBMITTING CRP OFFERS

Land that is not currently enrolled in CRP may be 

offered for enrollment during the 49th CRP general 

enrollment period. In addition, CRP participants 

with contracts expiring on Sept. 30, 2016, may 

submit offers.

To submit CRP offers, producers must visit their 

local FSA office. FSA will accept offers only 

during the enrollment period. To find a local FSA 

office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. 

ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS 

To be eligible for CRP enrollment, a producer 

must have owned or operated the land for at least 

12 months prior to the end of this CRP enrollment 

period, unless:

• The new owner acquired the land due to the 

previous owner’s death;

• The ownership change occurred due to 

foreclosure where the owner exercised a timely 

right of redemption in accordance with state 

law or;

• The circumstance of the acquisition presents 

adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner 

did not acquire the land for the purpose of 

placing it in CRP.

ELIGIBLE LAND

To be eligible for the CRP general enrollment 

period, land must be cropland (including field 

margins) that is planted, or considered planted, 

to an agricultural commodity four of the six crop 

years from 2008 to 2013, and be physically and 

legally capable of being planted (no planting 

restrictions due to an easement or other legally 

binding instrument) in a normal manner to an 

agricultural commodity. Alfalfa or other multiyear 

grasses and legumes grown in a rotation not to 

exceed 12 years may be eligible for the 49th CRP 

enrollment period. 

ADDITIONAL CROPLAND 

REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the eligible land requirements for 

the CRP general enrollment period, cropland must 

meet one of the following criteria:

• Have a weighted average erosion index of 

eight or higher;

• Be expiring CRP acres or;

• Be located in a national or state CRP 

conservation priority area.
FACT SHEET

CRP, 49th General Enrollment Period December 2015

CRP PAYMENTS

FSA provides those applicants who are selected for 

the 49th CRP general enrollment with annual rental 

payments, including certain incentive payments 

and cost-share assistance.

• Rental Payments

In return for establishing long-term, resourceconserving covers, FSA provides rental 

payments to participants. FSA bases rental 

rates on the relative productivity of the soils 

within each county and the average dryland 

cash rent. County office staff working with 

the producer will calculate the maximum CRP 

rental rate for each offer prior to enrollment. 

Producers may offer land below the rate to 

increase the likelihood that their offer will be 

accepted.

• Cost-Share Assistance

FSA provides cost-share assistance to 

participants who establish approved cover on 

eligible cropland. The cost-share assistance 

cannot exceed 50 percent of the participant’s 

costs to establish approved practices.

RANKING CRP OFFERS

FSA will rank offers for the 49th CRP general 

enrollment period according to the Environmental 

Benefits Index (EBI). FSA collects data (primarily 

based on location, soils information and selected 

conservation practice) and determines the 

environmental indices for the land offered.

FSA ranks each eligible offer in comparison to all 

other offers and selects from that ranking. After the 

enrollment period ends, the Secretary of 

Agriculture will decide where to make the EBI 

cutoff. Those who have met previous EBI 

thresholds are not guaranteed a contract under this 

enrollment period. Producers may consult with 

local FSA and Natural Resource Conservation 

(NRCS) staff on how to maximize EBI points and 

increase the likelihood that their offer will be 

accepted.

More information on EBI for the 49th CRP 

enrollment period is available by reading the FSA 

fact sheet, “Conservation Reserve Program 

Enrollment 49, Environmental Benefits Index.” 

CRP CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT

In addition to the 49th CRP general enrollment period, producers at any time can participate in CRP 

continuous enrollment period, in which producers 

can enroll the most environmentally sensitive land. 

More information on CRP continuous enrollment 

is available in the FSA fact sheet, “Conservation 

Reserve Program Continuous Sign-Up” located 

at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSAPublic/usdafiles/FactSheets/2015/crp_continuous_sign_up_november_2015.pdf.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

This fact sheet is for informational purposes; other 

restrictions may apply. Consult your local FSA 

office for details. For more information on CRP, 

visit FSA’s website at www.fsa.usda.gov/crp or 

contact your local FSA office. To find the nearest 

FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.

__________________________________________________

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis 

of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where 

applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, 

religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not 

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 

(voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary 

for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, 

Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-

9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 

(English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federalrelay). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Page 2