FACT SHEET

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

Page 1

April 2011

 Conservation Reserve Program: Duck Nesting Habitat Initiative

Overview

USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 

Duck Nesting Habitat Initiative aims to 

restore up to 200,000 acres of certain 

wetlands located outside of the 100-year 

floodplain in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 

Restoring these wetlands will provide 

nesting ducks with critical habitat, 

nesting cover, security from predators, 

and food. The initiative is estimated to 

increase duck numbers by 90,000 birds 

annually.

Benefits

This initiative will further CRP’s 

large-scale achievements in protecting 

our country’s wetlands and wildlife. 

CRP has restored two million wetland 

and wetland buffer acres nationwide. 

Through wetland restoration, CRP is 

credited with adding 2 million new 

ducks to our country’s flyways each 

year.

Creating an additional 200,000 acres of 

large wetland complexes will:

• Provide vital habitat for upland 

ducks, sandhill cranes, and many 

other wildlife species;

• Filter runoff;

• Recharge groundwater supplies;

• Protect drinking water;

• Reduce downstream flooding; and

• Provide recreational opportunities, 

such as bird watching and hunting.

Eligibility

Enrollment is limited to Prairie Pothole 

Region land located outside the 100-

year floodplain. For land with fewer 

than 25 duck pairs per square mile, participants may continue to enroll acreage 

at a 4-to-1 upland-to-wetland ratio under 

Conservation Practice (CP) 23A, Wetland Restoration, Non-floodplain. This 

means for every one acre of wetlands, 

there must be four acres of surrounding 

upland habitat.

For land with 25 or more duck pairs 

per square mile, participants may enroll 

acreage up to a 10-to-1 upland-towetland ratio under CP37, Duck Nesting 

Habitat. The purpose of this practice is 

to increase duck populations by restoring the functions and values of wetland 

ecosystems that have been devoted to 

agricultural use.

Cropland must be suitably located 

and adaptable to the establishment of 

wetlands. Land eligible for the program 

must be capable of being restored to 

CRP wetland standards. Wetlands must 

include a buffer that will protect water 

quality and provide quality nesting 

habitat.

In addition, the producer must satisfy 

the basic eligibility and cropping historical criteria for CRP. These requirements 

are listed in the CRP fact sheet available 

on FSA’s web site athttp://www.fsa.

usda.gov/crp.

To determine individual eligibility for 

the initiative, landowners should check 

with their local FSA office.

Hydrology

The site’s hydrology must be restored. 

Vegetation in the wetland area will 

either be established or allowed to revegetate naturally.

Payments

FSA will offer the following types of 

payments:

• Annual Rent Payments for which 

FSA offers financial incentives of 

up to 20 percent of the soil rental 

rate for field windbreaks, grass 

waterways, filter strips, and riparian buffers; 

• An upfront incentive payment 

(CRP-SIP) up to $100 per acre for 

eligible participants who enroll 

certain practices. The one-time SIP 

will be made after the contract is 

approved and all payment eligibility criteria are met; 

• A practice incentive payment 

(CRP-PIP) equal to 40 percent of 

the eligible installation costs for 

eligible participants who enroll 

certain practices. The one-time PIP 

will be issued after the practice is 

installed, eligible costs are verified, 

and other payment eligibility criteria are met; and 

• Cost-share Assistance of up to 50 

percent of eligible practice installation costs.

Sign-up

Program sign-up at local FSA offices 

began Oct. 1, 2006, and will run continuously (meaning eligible land may be 

enrolled at any time) until 200,000 acres 

have been enrolled.

For More Information

More information on the CRP Duck 

Nesting Habitat Initiative is available at 

local FSA offices and on FSA’s web site 

at http://www.fsa.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 of part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all 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 Federal-relay). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer.