FACT SHEET

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

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March 2011

 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program - New York State

Overview

USDA and the state of New York have 

launched a $62 million Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program 

(CREP) agreement to improve water 

conditions on 30 million acres within 

New York’s 12 major watersheds. 

These watersheds serve 55 percent of 

the state’s population.

CREP is a federal-state natural resource conservation program targeted 

to address state and nationally significant agricultural related environmental problems. Under CREP, program 

participants receive financial incentives from USDA to voluntarily enroll 

in the Conservation Reserve Program 

(CRP) in contracts of 10- to 15-years. 

Participants remove marginal pastureland or cropland from agricultural 

production and convert the land to 

native grasses, trees and other vegetation. CRP is authorized by the Food 

Security Act of 1985, as amended.

Benefits

The New York CREP will help farmers address erosion and nutrient runoff 

on 30 million acres of land within 

New York’s 12 major watersheds. 

Retiring highly erodible cropland 

and planting it to protective vegetation will enhance water quality and 

provide shelter, nesting areas and food 

for many species of wildlife. Buffers 

planted along stream banks and rivers 

will filter phosphorus, nitrogen and 

sedimentation from the waterways.

Eligible Areas

Producers can offer eligible cropland 

and marginal pastureland in New 

York’s 12 major watersheds, which 

serve approximately 55 percent of 

New York’s population. The 12 watersheds are:

• Allegany River Basin 

• Black River/St. Lawrence Watersheds 

• Chesapeake Bay/Susquehana 

River Watershed 

• Delaware River Watershed 

• Genesee - Oswego - Seneca - 

Oneida River Watershed 

• Lake Champlain Watershed 

• Lake Erie - Niagara River Watersheds 

• Lake Ontario Direct Drainage 

Watershed 

• Long Island Sound - Peconic Bay 

Watershed 

• Lower Hudson River Basin 

• Mohawk River Watershed 

• Upper Hudson River Watershed.

Public wellhead protection areas, as 

designated by the New York State Department of Health in accordance with 

the state’s approved wellhead protection program, are eligible for enrollment within these 12 watersheds. Interested producers should contact their 

local Farm Service Agency (FSA) 

county office for specific information 

regarding their eligibility for CREP.

Goals

The goals of the New York CREP are 

to:

• Reduce annual nutrient loads of 

phosphorus by 73,000 pounds, 

nitrogen by 29,000 pounds per 

year and sediments from 109,000 

tons per year; 

• Reduce the potential for animal 

waste to enter streams and rivers; 

• Establish tree buffers adjacent to 

4,598 stream miles and 473,457 

acres of surface waters; and 

• Establish grass and trees on areas 

that recharge drinking water supplies for cities and towns. 

Approved Conservation Practices

To better serve program goals, specific 

CRP conservation practices have been 

identified for inclusion in the program.

For land qualifying on the basis of 

erosion, where at least 50 percent of 

the land is within 1,000 feet of a surface water source and has an erodibility index of 15 or greater (relatively 

steep-sloping land), the applicable 

practices are:

• CP 1 - Establishment of Permanent Introduced Grasses and 

Legumes 

• CP 2 - Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses 

• CP 3 - Tree Planting 

• CP 3A - Hardwood Tree Planting 

• CP 4B - Permanent Wildlife 

Habitat Corridor, Non-Easement 

• CP 4D - Permanent Wildlife 

Habitat, Non-Easement 

• CP 9 - Shallow Water Areas for 

Wildlife 

• CP 10 - Vegetative Cover - Grass 

- Already Established 

• CP 11 - Vegetative Cover - Trees 

- Already Established 

A map of the eligible areas is available in USDA Service Centers.

For wellhead protection areas 

designated by the New York State 

Department of Health, the applicable 

practices are:

• CP 1 - Establishment of Permanent Introduced Grasses and 

Legumes 

• CP 2 - Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses 

• CP 3 - Tree Planting

• CP 3A - Hardwood Tree Planting 

• CP 4B - Permanent Wildlife 

Habitat Corridor, Non-Easement 

• CP 4D - Permanent Wildlife 

Habitat, Non-Easement 

• CP 10 - Vegetative Cover - Grass 

- Already Established

• CP 11 - Vegetative Cover - Trees 

- Already Established
FACT SHEET

CREP - New York State March 2011

For lands qualifying as riparian buffers, the applicable practices are:

• CP8A - Grass Waterways 

• CP15A - Establishment of Permanent Vegetative Cover - Contour 

Grassed Strips 

• CP21 - Filter Strips (Grass Strips) 

• CP22 - Riparian Buffers (Trees 

Planted Next to Streams)

• CP23 – Wetland Restoration

• CP23A Wetland Restoration, 

Non-Flood Plain

• CP29 - Marginal Pastureland 

Wildlife Habitat Buffer 

• CP30 - Marginal Pastureland 

Wetland Buffer

Sign-up and Eligibility Requirements

Enrollment began Dec. 1, 2003, 

and will run on a continuous basis, 

continuing as long as there is statutory authority for CRP. Cropland must 

meet cropping history criteria and 

be physically and legally capable of 

being cropped in a normal manner. 

Marginal pastureland is also eligible 

for enrollment provided it is suitable 

for use as a buffer practice. Persons 

who have acreage under an existing 

CRP contract or an approved offer 

with a contract pending are not eligible for CREP on that acreage until 

that contract expires. Other requirements will also apply. Contract terms 

will be set out in the CRP contract and 

regulations.

Payments

Subject to contract terms and certain 

limitations, New York CREP participants will be eligible for the following 

types of USDA payments:

• Signing Incentive Payment: A 

one-time payment consistent 

with handbook 2-CRP for land 

enrolled in a grass waterway, 

riparian buffer or filter strip practice. This payment is made after 

the contract has been signed and 

approved. 

• Practice Incentive Payment: A 

one-time payment equal to about 

40 percent of the eligible cost for 

certain practices. This payment 

is in addition to up to 50 percent 

cost-share assistance that USDA 

will provide for installing eligible 

practices. 

• Infeasible to Farm Acreage: In 

cropland where more than 50 

percent of a field is enrolled as 

a buffer, if the remainder of the 

field (not part of the original offer) is determined as infeasible to 

farm, then the remainder may be 

enrolled as part of the practice at 

regular rental rates. Incentives do 

not apply for land determined and 

enrolled as infeasible to farm. 

• Annual Incentive Payments: 

Annual incentive payments of 

145 percent of the established 

weighted average county soil 

rental rate, as determined and 

established by CCC will be used 

in connection with normal CRP 

sign-ups for all practices under 

this agreement. 

• Annual Rental Payment for the 

life of the contract: Producers 

are eligible for a base Soil Rental 

Rate (SRR) equal to the weighted 

SRR of the three predominant 

soils. 

• Cost-Share Assistance: Costshare assistance of up to 50 

percent for the installation of the 

eligible conservation practices on 

enrolled land apply.

• Annual Maintenance Payment: 

In accordance with Handbook 

2-CRP procedure, annual maintenance payments may apply for 

certain practices.

In addition, New York will offer the 

following:

• State cost share payments in 

addition to federal cost share payments, not to exceed 100 percent 

of the participant’s our-of-pocket 

expenses.

• Annual tax credit to participants 

whose land is enrolled in CREP, 

amounting to 100 percent of the 

school property tax on land enrolled in CREP for acreage over 

and above the first 250 acres of 

qualified agricultural land.

Program Cost

USDA will contribute an estimated 

$52 million and New York State will 

fund an additional $10 million. The 

$62 million does not include any costs 

that may be assumed by producers.

Enrollment in Other Programs

CREP is another option under CRP 

that farmers may select to enhance 

their land; applicants may still enroll 

eligible land in the regular general 

CRP or continuous sign-up CRP. 

However, CREP provides additional 

benefits not available through the 

general and/or continuous sign-up. 

The CREP enrollment process is on a 

continuous basis and payments are at 

a higher effective rate.

Haying and Grazing

Haying and grazing currently are not 

permitted during the CRP contract 

period unless USDA allows them for 

emergency purposes or managed haying and grazing purposes, if applicable, under normal CRP rules.

For More Information

More information on the New York 

CREP is available from local FSA offices and on FSA’s Web site at: www.

fsa.usda.gov/crp

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 Federalrelay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federalrelay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider 

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