CONSERVATION

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY FACT SHEET June 2014

Conservation Reserve Program: Early-Outs for Some Contracts

OVERVIEW

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a 

voluntary program whereby the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture contracts with agricultural producers 

so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land 

is not farmed or ranched, but instead used for conservation benefits. CRP participants establish longterm, resource-conserving vegetative species, such 

as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to 

control soil erosion, improve the water quality and 

enhance wildlife habitat. In return, FSA provides 

participants with rental payments and cost-share 

assistance. Continuous sign-up contracts are 10 to 

15 years in duration.

The Agriculture Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm 

Bill) requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) to allow a limited number of CRP participants who meet specific qualifications an opportunity to terminate (referred to as “opt-outs”) the 

CRP contract during fiscal year 2015, if those contracts have been in effect for at least five years and 

if other conditions are also met. The start and end 

dates for requesting opt-outs will be announced 

later by a news release.

The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, 

authorized CRP and is governed by regulations 

published in 7 CFR, part 1410. The USDA Farm 

Service Agency (FSA) implements CRP on behalf 

of USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

EARLY TERMINATION

The 2014 Farm Bill requires USDA to offer a limited number of producers opportunities to opt-out 

of certain CRP contracts during fiscal year 2015, if 

those contracts have been in effect for at least five 

years and if one or more of the exceptions noted 

below do not apply. 

EXCEPTIONS

The 2014 Farm Bill specifies that the following 

types of land will not be eligible for opt-out:

• Filterstrips, waterways, strips adjacent to riparian areas, windbreaks, and shelterbelts;

• Land with an erodibility index of more than 15;

• Land devoted to hardwood trees;

• Wildlife habitat, duck nesting habitat, pollinator habitat, upland bird habitat buffer, wildlife 

food plots, State acres for wildlife enhancement, 

shallow water areas for wildlife, and rare and 

declining habitat;

• Farmable wetland and restored wetland;

• Land that contains diversions, erosion control 

structures, flood control structures, contour 

grass strips, living snow fences, salinity reducing vegetation, cross wind trap strips, and sediment retention structures;

• Land located within a federally designated wellhead protection area;

• Land that is covered by an easement under CRP;

• Land located within an average width, according to the applicable Natural Resources Conservation Service field office technical guide, of a 

perennial stream or permanent water body; and

• Land enrolled under the Conservation Reserve 

Enhancement Program (CREP).

ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS

The 2014 Farm Bill did not change the following 

provisions for prorated rental payment, renewed 

enrollment, conservation requirements, and liability for contract violation. If a CRP contract is terminated before the end of the fiscal year for which 

a CRP rental payment is due, FSA will provide a 

prorated rental payment covering the portion of the 

fiscal year during which the CRP contract was in 

effect.
FACT SHEET

CRP: Early-Outs for Some Contracts June 2014

An opt-out will not affect the ability of the owner 

or operator that requested the opt-out to submit a 

subsequent bid to enroll the land that was subject 

to the CRP contract into CRP.

If the producer returns land that was subject to a 

CRP contract to production of an agricultural commodity, the conservation requirements for highly 

erodible land conservation and wetland conservation under 7 CFR part 12 and 16 U.S.C. Chapter 

58, subchapters II and III, will apply.

The opt-out does not relieve the producer of liability for a contract violation occurring before the 

date of the contract termination.

CRP Practices Eligible for Opt-Out

Practice Title Eligible for EarlyOut (If not in a 

wellhead area)

CP1 Establishment of Permanent Introduced Grasses and 

Legumes

Yes

CP2 Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses Yes

CP3 Tree Planting Yes

CP10 Vegetative Cover – Grass – Already Established Yes

CP11 Vegetative Cover – Trees – Already Established Yes

TIMELINE

Requested by CRP participants to opt-out of contracts that meet the above requirements must be 

approved by the FSA County Office Committee. 

The start and end dates for requesting the opt-out 

will be determined by FSA and announced later by 

a news release.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about FSA and its programs, 

visit the local FSA county office or on the visit the 

FSA website at 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 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 Federal-relay). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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