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The conservation provisions of the 1996 farm bill simplify existing conservationprograms and improve their flexibility and efficiency. The bill also creates newprograms to address high priority environmental protection goals.
The farm bill authorizes more than $2.2 billion in additional funding forconservation programs, extends the Conservation Reserve Program and WetlandReserve Program, and creates new initiatives to improve natural resources onAmerica's private lands.To qualify for market transition payments under basic commodity programs whichreplace traditional farm subsidies, farm operators must agree to abide byConservation Compliance and Wetlands Conservation (Swampbuster) provisions inthe 1996 farm bill.Umbrella Program Reform
The bill reforms an existing program, the Environmental Conservation AcreageReserve Program (ECARP), which encompasses the existing Conservation ReserveProgram, the new Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the WetlandReserve Program.
Conservation Reserve Program
The CRP protects highly erodible and environmentally sensitive lands with grass,trees, and other long-term cover.

The farm bill:
- Allows up to 36.4 million acres to be enrolled at any one time. New    enrollments can replace expired or terminated contracts.   Allows owners or operators who entered into a contract before 1995 to    terminate contracts on certain acres after giving written notice. Contracts    must have been in effect for at least five years. Lands with high    environmental values are not eligible for early release.  Gives the Secretary discretionary authority to offer future early outs for    CRP acres.
**Environmental Quality Incentives**
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a new program whichcombines the functions of the Agricultural Conservation Program, Water QualityIncentives Program, Great Plains Conservation Program, and the Colorado RiverBasin Salinity Control Program.EQIP is funded at $130 million in fiscal year 1996 and $200 million annuallythereafter. Livestock-related conservation practices will receive 50 percent ofprogram funding.The farm bill:
Establishes conservation priority areas where significant water, soil, and    related natural resource problems exist, in cooperation with state and    federal agencies and with the state technical committees.  
- Gives higher priority to areas where state or local governments offer    financial or technical assistance, or where agricultural improvements will    help meet water quality objectives.   Establishes 5- to 10-year contracts to provide technical assistance and    pay up to 75 percent of the costs of conservation practices such as manure    management systems, pest management, and erosion control.  Defines land eligible for EQIP contracts as agricultural land that poses a    serious problem to soil, water, or related resources.  
- Does not allow large livestock operations (to be defined through a public    rule-making process) to be eligible for cost-share assistance for animal    waste management facilities, but they do remain eligible for technical    assistance.   Requires activities under the contract to be carried out according to a    conservation plan.  Limits total cost-share and incentive payments to any person to $10,000    annually, and to $50,000 for the life of the contract.  
- Phases in EQIP over the next six months, and then ends the Agricultural    Conservation Program, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program, Water    Quality Incentives Program, and the Great Plains Conservation Program.  Wetland Reserve Program  The WRP will have an enrollment cap of 975,000 acres. Program changes providemore flexibility and help landowners work toward a goal of no net loss ofwetlands.The revised WRP:     - Requires that, beginning October 1, 1996, one-third of total program acres    be enrolled in permanent easements, one-third in 30-year easements, and    one-third in restoration only cost-share agreements. Individuals may choose    the category for their eligible land.   Stipulates that effective October 1, 1996, no new permanent easements may    be enrolled until at least 75,000 acres of temporary easements have entered    the program.  Provides landowners with 75 percent to 100 percent cost-sharing for    permanent easements, 50 percent to 75 percent for 30- year easements, and 50    percent to 75 percent for restoration cost-share agreements. Cost- sharing    will help pay for restoration.
**Wetland Conservation (Swampbuster)**
The 1996 farm bill makes several policy changes to existing Swampbusterprovisions to give farmers more flexibility in complying with wetlandconservation requirements while protecting natural resources:
Expands areas where mitigation can be used. This allows individuals to    work with producers, conservation districts or other relevant entities to    select the best area for mitigating wetlands.  
- Provides more options for mitigation, including restoration, enhancement,    or creation as long as wetland functions and values are maintained.   Encourages effective and timely use of "minimal effect"    determinations. This change allows the Natural Resources Conservation    Service (NRCS), working with state technical committees, to identify    practices that have a minimal effect on the environment and put them on a    "fast track."  Stipulates that wetland conversion activities, authorized by a permit    issued under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which make agriculture    production possible, will be accepted for farm bill purposes if they were    adequately mitigated.  
- Revises the concept of "abandonment" to ensure that as long as    land is used for agriculture, a certified Prior Converted cropland    designation remains in effect. When done under an approved plan, landowners    with Farmed Wetlands (FW) and Farmed Wetlands Pasture (FWP) may allow an    area to revert to wetland status, and convert it back to an FW or FWP for    agricultural purposes without violating the Swampbuster provision.   Requires wetland determinations to be certified by NRCS. Previous wetland    determinations will be certified to verify their accuracy. A certified    wetland determination will remain in effect as long as the land is used for    agricultural purposes or until the owner or operator requests a review from    the Secretary.  Provides the Secretary with the discretion to waive penalties for    ineligibility and to grant time to restore converted wetlands.  
- Provides the Secretary with authority to identify for individual producers    which programs are affected by Swampbuster violations and how much the    penalty is.   Establishes a pilot program for wetland mitigation banking in order to    allow USDA to assess how well mitigation banking works for agriculture.**Wetlands Memorandum of Agreement**
The farm bill expands the definition of agricultural land contained in theinteragency Wetlands MOA to include not only cropland and pasture land, but alsotree farms, rangeland, native pasture land, and other land used for livestockproduction.
**Conservation Research and Education**
The farm bill creates the National Natural Resources Conservation Foundation asa charitable nonprofit corporation to fund research and educational activitiesrelating to conservation on private lands.The foundation will promote innovative solutions to conservation problemsthrough public-private partnerships. It will also accept private gifts of moneyor property to be used for conservation activities. Congress has authorized $1million annually from 1997 through 1999.The new foundation will offer grants for research, education, and demonstrationprojects. Grants will also assist conservation districts in building resourcesto carry out local conservation programs.The foundation will be administered by a nine-member board of trustees appointedby the Secretary.
**Conservation Compliance**
The farm bill makes several policy changes in the operation of ConservationCompliance:
- Directs USDA employees who are providing on-site technical assistance to    work with landowners to correct an observed potential compliance problem.    Landowners will have up to one year to take corrective action before a    violation is reported.   Encourages farmers to maintain records of residue measurement, including    those provided by a third party. Where appropriate, USDA will use these    measurements when conducting annual status reviews to determine erosion    levels.  Authorizes county committees to provide relief in cases of undue economic    hardship.  
- Revises "good faith" to ensure penalties are commensurate with    violations.  **NRCS Technical Guide**  The farm bill requires public notice at the state level of future changes in theNRCS technical guide that affect Swampbuster and Conservation Compliance.  **Conservation of Private Grazing Land**  The grazing lands provision is a new program to ensure technical, educational,and related assistance is provided to landowners on the nation's 642 millionacres of private grazing lands. In fiscal year 1996, $20 million is authorized.This amount increases to $60 million by the third year.  **Farmland Protection Program**  The Farmland Protection Program is a new program under which the Secretary willjoin with state or local governments to purchase conservation easements. Basedon voluntary participation, it only applies to land which farmers want topreserve in agriculture.The program:    - Protects between 170,000 and 340,000 acres of farmland.   Authorizes up to $35 million in total federal funding.  Requires land to be subject to a pending offer from a state or local    farmland conservation program in order to participate.
Task Forceon Agricultural Air Quality
The 1996 farm bill establishes a task force on agricultural air quality. TheChief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service will chair the task force.
**Flood Risk Reduction**
This provision authorizes voluntary contracts that provide one lump sum paymentto producers who farm land with high flood potential. The payment will equal 95percent of the seven-year market transition payments, and other payments tooffset estimated federal outlays on frequently flooded land.In return, the producer agrees to comply with applicable wetlands and highlyerodible land requirements and to forego commodity loans, crop insurance,conservation program payments, and disaster payments.
**Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program**
This new provision will help landowners improve wildlife habitat on privatelands. The program will have $50 million in CRP funds for wildlife habitatimprovement.The program:
Provides cost-sharing to landowners for developing habitat for upland    wildlife, wetland wildlife, endangered species, fisheries and other    wildlife.  
- Provides for consulting with state technical committees to set priorities    for cost-share measures and habitat development projects.  **Emergency Watershed Protection Program Floodplain Easements**  The farm bill authorizes the Secretary to purchase floodplain easements underthe Emergency Watershed Protection Program.  **State Technical Committees**  State technical committees help develop technical standards for conservationprograms. The farm bill requires public notice of meetings and expands committeemembership to include representatives of non-government organizations such asagricultural producers, non-profit conservation organizations, agribusiness, andexperts on the economic and environmental impacts of conservation techniques.  **Conservation Farm Option**  This is a pilot program for producers of wheat, feed grains, upland cotton, andrice who are eligible for Agriculture Market Transition Contracts. Under thisprogram, landowners may consolidate their CRP, WRP, and EQIP payments into oneannual payment. The participants enter into a 10- year contract and adopt aconservation farm plan approved by the Secretary. Initially, $7.5 million isauthorized, increasing to $62.5 million in 2002. Total authorized funding is$197.5 million.  **Resource Conservation and Development Program**  This program is reauthorized as is until 2002.  **Forestry Incentives Program**  This program is reauthorized as is until 2002.  **Soil Survey**  The farm bill provides flexibility in determining how soil survey information iscommunicated to the public.  **Everglades**  The farm bill supports ongoing efforts to protect the Everglades ecosystem. Thisprovision authorizes $200 million for restoration activities, including landacquisition. Authority is also provided to sell or exchange an additional $100million in federal land to help protect the Everglades.  **Bypass Flows on Forest Service Lands**  A task force will be appointed to study the issue of bypass flows and relatedwater rights on national forest land. In the interim, there will be an 18-monthmoratorium on bypass flow requirements during the renewal of Forest Servicepermits for water supply facilities.  Back to Top  **NRCS Home**  | 		Site Map  | 		Contact  | 		Accessibility  | 		USDA |
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