CONSERVATION

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY FACT SHEET January 2017

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program – Delaware

OVERVIEW

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

the State of Delaware are partners in implementing 

a voluntary Conservation Reserve Enhancement 

Program (CREP) to enroll up to 10,000 acres of 

agricultural land in Kent, New Castle and Sussex 

counties to improve water quality, reduce soil 

erosion, reduce the amount of sediment, phosphorous 

and other pollutants entering waterbodies, improve 

wildlife habitat and restore wetlands.

BACKGROUND

CREP is part of the USDA Conservation Reserve 

Program (CRP). 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 permanent, 

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, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) 

provides participants with rental payments and 

cost-share assistance. CRP is authorized by the Food 

Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the 

Agricultural act of 2014.

With CREP, high-priority conservation goals are 

identified by the state, and then federal funds are 

supplemented with non-federal funds to achieve those 

goals.

Through the Delaware CREP, federal and state 

resources are made available to program participants 

to voluntarily enroll in CRP for 10-year to 15-year 

contracts. Participants remove cropland and marginal 

pastureland from agricultural production and convert 

the land to grasses, trees and other vegetation or 

restore wetlands. This will improve water quality 

by reducing sediment, nutrients, nitrogen and other 

pollutants from entering streams and rivers and 

enhance wildlife habitat.

GOALS

The goals of the Delaware CREP are to:

• Reduce nutrient and sediment loadings in 

impaired streams;

• Restore and protect wetlands;

• Improve water temperature and levels of 

dissolved oxygen, which are necessary to support 

biology and wildlife; and

• Increase upland wildlife habitat and create 

wildlife corridors.

ELIGIBLE CONSERVATION PRACTICES

The following specific CRP conservation practices 

are available:

• CP3A, Hardwood Trees;

• CP4D, Permanent Wildlife Habitat, NonEasement;

• CP9, Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife;

• CP21, Filter Strips;

• CP22, Riparian Buffer;

• CP23, Wetland Restoration; and

• CP23A, Wetland Restoration, Non-Floodplain.

ENROLLMENT AND ELIGIBILITY

REQUIREMENTS

Enrollment for the Delaware CREP is on a 

continuous basis. To be eligible, land must be located 

in the project area and be either cropland or marginal 

pastureland. Cropland must meet cropping history 

criteria and be physically and legally capable of 

being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural 

commodity. Marginal pastureland is also eligible 

for enrollment provided it is suitable for use as an 

eligible riparian buffer.

PAYMENTS

Under the Delaware CREP, eligible participants may 

receive the following payments:

• A one-time signing incentive payment (SIP) of 

$100 per acre for installing practices CP21 and 
FACT SHEET

CREP - Delaware January 2017

CP22; or $150 per acre for installing practices 

CP23 and CP23A. Example: 10 acres enrolled 

to be devoted to practice CP22 result in a $1,000 

(10 acres x $100) SIP. This payment is made 

soon after the contract has been signed and 

approved.

• A one-time practice incentive payment (PIP) 

for installing practice CP9, CP21, CP22, CP23 

or CP23A. The PIP is equal to 40 percent of 

eligible cost of installing the practice. Example: 

Producer’s total eligible cost of installing the 

practice is $2,000. The PIP would be $800 

($2,000 x .40).

• An annual rental payment consisting of:

 o A base soil rental rate, determined by (1) for

 cropland, the three predominant soils of the

 land offered; or (2) for marginal pastureland,

 the posted marginal pastureland rate for the

 county;

 o An incentive payment, based on the practice

 and county; and

 o A maintenance payment, determined by the 

 practice offered.

• For practices CP3A, CP22, CP23 and CP23A, the 

per-acre incentive payment will be up to:

 o $89 in Kent County;

 o $101 in New Castle County; and

 o $82 in Sussex County.

• For practices CP4D, CP9 and CP21, the per-acre 

incentive payment will be up to:

 o $30 in Kent County;

 o $34 in New Castle County; and

 o $28 in Sussex County.

• A cost-share payment of up to 50 percent of the 

eligible cost to install the approved practice.

• A one-time Chesapeake Bay incentive payment 

in an amount equal to (1) for land not previously 

enrolled in CRP, $160 per acre times the number 

of acres enrolled times the number of full years 

of the CRP contract length; or (2) for land 

previously enrolled in CRP, $80 per acre times 

the number of acres enrolled times the number of 

full years of the CRP contract length. This onetime payment is available only for practice CP22 

and only for land located within the Chesapeake 

Bay Watershed. Example: 10 acres of land not 

previously enrolled in CRP that is within the 

Chesapeake Bay Watershed is enrolled in a 

14-year and 7 month CRP contract to be devoted 

to practice CP22. The one-time Chesapeake Bay 

incentive payment is $22,400 ($160 x 10 acres x 

14 years).

In addition, the State of Delaware provides the 

following payments to eligible participants:

• A per-acre per-year incentive payment in an 

amount equal to:

 o For practices CP3A, CP22, CP23 and CP23A,

 up to:

 • $33 in Kent County;

 • $37 in New Castle County; and

 • $30 in Sussex County.

 o For practices CP4D, CP9 and CP21, up to:

 • $17 in Kent County;

 • $19 in New Castle County; and

 • $15 in Sussex County.

 Note: The State of Delaware’s per-acre per-

 year incentive payment will be provided as a

 one-time lump sum payment within the first

 year of the approved contract. Example: 

 10 acres in Kent County enrolled in a 14-year

 and 7 month CRP contract to be devoted to

 practice CP22 result in a one-time lump-sum

 $4,620 (10 acres x $33 x 14 years) incentive

 payment from the State of Delaware.

• A cost-share payment of 37.5 percent of the 

eligible cost to install the approved practice.

• A one-time Chesapeake Bay incentive payment 

in an amount equal to (1) for land not previously 

enrolled in CRP, $40 per acre times the number 

of acres enrolled times the number of full years 

of the CRP contract length; or (2) for land 

previously enrolled in CRP, $20 per acre times 

the number of acres enrolled times the number of 

full years of the CRP contract length. This onetime payment is available only for practice CP22 

and only for land located within the Chesapeake 

Bay Watershed. Example: 10 acres of land not 

previously enrolled in CRP that is within the 

Chesapeake Bay Watershed is enrolled in a 

14-year and 7 month CRP contract to be devoted 

to practice CP22. The State of Delaware one-time 

incentive payment is $5,600 ($40 x 10 acres x 

14 years).

Note: The per-acre annual rental payment, including 

the per-acre incentive payment provided by the State 

of Delaware, shall not exceed $225 for practices 

CP3A, CP22, CP23 and CP23A; or $165 for practices 

CP4D, CP9 and CP21.

EXAMPLES

A Sussex County producer elects to enroll 10 acres 

of land not previously enrolled in CRP to be devoted 

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to a riparian buffer (practice CP22) in a 15-year 

contract. The base soil rental rate for the land is $84 

per acre. The incentive payment is $82 per acre. The 

annual maintenance payment is $10 per acre. The 

producer’s annual rental rate will be $176 per acre 

($84 + $82 + $10), for a total annual payment of 

$1,760 ($176 x 10 acres). The producer will receive 

$26,400 in annual rental payments over the 15-year 

term of the CRP contract. In addition, the producer 

will receive the following payments:

• A one-time SIP of $1,000;

• Cost-share payments equal to 50 percent of the 

eligible reimbursable costs to install the riparian 

buffer;

• A one-time PIP equal to 40 percent of the eligible 

reimbursable costs to install the riparian buffer;

• An incentive payment from the State of Delaware 

of $4,500 ($30 x 10 acres x 15 years);

• Cost-share payments from the State of Delaware 

equal to 37.5 percent of the eligible reimbursable 

costs to install the practice;

• A one-time Chesapeake Bay incentive payment 

from FSA of $24,000 ($160 x 10 acres x 

15 years); and

• A one-time Chesapeake Bay incentive payment 

from the State of Delaware of $6,000 ($40 x 

10 acres x 15 years).

A New Castle County producer elects to enroll 

15 acres of land to be devoted to hardwood trees 

(practice CP3A) in a 15-year contract. The base soil 

rental rate for the land is $106 per acre. The incentive 

payment is $101 per acre. The producer’s annual 

rental rate will be $207 per acre ($106 + $101) for 

a total annual payment of $3,105 ($207 x 15 acres). 

The producer will receive $46,575 in annual rental 

payments over the 15-year term of the CRP contract. 

The producer will receive cost-share payments equal 

to 50 percent of the eligible reimbursable costs to 

install the hardwood trees. In addition, the State of 

Delaware will provide $8,325 ($37 x 15 acres x 

15 years) incentive payment, plus pay 37.5 percent of 

the eligible reimbursable costs to install the practice.

Note: The preceding are examples only.

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

CREP is another option under CRP that farmers and 

ranchers may select to enhance their land. Eligible 

producers may still enroll land in CRP through 

general or continuous signup; however, the Delaware 

CREP provides additional benefits not available 

through general and/or continuous signup. Under the 

Delaware CREP, producers receive higher incentive 

payments and longer contract lengths that increase 

the total amount of rental payments received.

HAYING AND GRAZING

Haying and grazing are not allowed during the CRP 

contract period unless authorized by USDA. Contact 

your local FSA office for more information about 

authorized haying and grazing activities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

This fact sheet is provided for informational purposes 

only; other restrictions or requirements may apply. 

For more information on CREP, contact your local 

FSA office. To find your local FSA county office, 

visit http://offices.usda.gov. To learn more about 

FSA conservation programs, visit 

www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation.

_________________________________________

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, 

its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in 

or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating 

based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 

status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 

program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 

rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by 

USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint 

filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 

American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency 

or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 

contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 

Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA 

office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter 

all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the 

complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or 

letter to USDA by:

1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant

 Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW

 Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

FACT SHEET

CREP - Delaware January 2017

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