Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) –

GRASSLANDS SIGNUP

Farm Service Agency

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FACT SHEET

June 2018

CONSERVATION

Overview (Signup 201)

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands 

is part of the Conservation Reserve Program, a 

federally funded voluntary program that contracts with 

agricultural producers so that environmentally 

sensitive agricultural land is protected and used for 

conservation benefits.

With CRP Grasslands, landowners and operators can 

protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland, 

and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as 

grazing lands. The program emphasizes support for 

grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity and 

grassland and land containing shrubs and forbs under 

the greatest threat of conversion. Participants receive 

annual payments and cost-share assistance. Contract 

duration is between 14 and 15 years.

CRP Grasslands is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. 

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

administers the program on behalf of the USDA 

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

Benefits

Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the 

economy of many regions, provides biodiversity of 

plant and animal populations and improves 

environmental quality.

How the Program Works

Participants retain the right to conduct common 

grazing practices, produce hay, mow or harvest for 

seed production (subject to certain restrictions during 

the nesting season of bird species that are in significant 

decline or those that are protected under federal or 

state law), conduct fire rehabilitation and construct 

firebreaks and fences.

Ranking Land Offered for

CRP Grasslands

Interested participants may submit an offer with the 

USDA FSA at any time. These offers will be batched 

and reviewed at least once each year to determine 

which offers can be approved using applicable CRP 

Grasslands Ranking Factors. FSA collects data for 

each of the ranking factors based on the relative 

benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is 

ranked in comparison to all other eligible offers and 

selections for acceptance are made from that ranking.

FSA uses the following ranking factors, including:

• Existence of expiring CRP;

• Existing Small Livestock Operation;

• Existing Grassland;

• Existing Multi-species cover and predominance of

 native species;

• State Focus Area (land-based) determined in

 consultation with State Technical Committee;

• Applicant is an eligible Beginning, Veteran or

 Socially Disadvantaged farmer or rancher;

• Cost, and;

• Other factors as determined by FSA
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CRP – GRASSLANDS SIGNUP - JUNE 2018

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Animal Kind/Class

Beef/Buffalo/Dry Dairy Cow

Dairy Cow

Beef/Dairy/Buffalo Bulls

Calf

Heifer

Yearling Cattle

Sheep, Ewe

Lamb, Weaned to Yearling

Ram (200 lbs.)

Goat, mature

Kid, yearling

Llama

1.00

1.40

1.50

0.30

0.86

0.65

0.16

0.14

0.17

0.15

0.10

0.23

Animal Unit

Equivalent

Small Livestock Operations

Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer grazing 

dairy cows or equivalent can submit applications to 

enroll up to 200 acres per farm. 

Eligible Producers

A producer must have owned or operated the land for 

at least 12 months prior to closing the 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 circumstances of the acquisition present

 adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner

 did not acquire the land for the purpose of 

 placing it in CRP.

Eligible Land

Land currently must be planted to a grass cover.

Rental Payments

In return for following an approved CRP conservation 

plan, FSA provides annual rental payments to 

participants based on 75 percent of the NASS 

estimated pastureland rental rate as determined by FSA 

for the life of the agreement.

Cost-Share Assistance

FSA provides cost-share assistance to participants who 

establish approved practices on eligible land in an 

amount that is not more than 50 percent of the

participants’ costs in establishing approved practices.

For More Information

This fact sheet is for informational purposes only; 

other restrictions may apply. To find more information 

about CRP Grasslands, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/crp. 

For more details on FSA conservation programs, visit 

www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation or contact your 

local FSA office. To locate the nearest FSA office or 

USDA service center, visit http://offices.usda.gov.