Ohio Scioto River Watershed 

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Overview

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

and the State of Ohio are partners in 

implementing a voluntary Conservation 

Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to 

enroll up to 70,000 acres of agricultural 

land in the Scioto River watersheds within 

the State of Ohio. The purpose of the Ohio 

Scioto River Watershed CREP is to create 

permanent vegetative cover adjacent to 

rivers and streams within the Scioto River 

Watershed to increase wildlife populations 

as well as sustain suspended solids levels.

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.

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 Ohio Scioto River Watershed 

CREP, federal and state resources are 

made available to program participants to 

voluntarily enroll in CRP for 14–15-year 

contracts. Participants remove cropland 

and marginal pastureland from agricultural 

production and convert the land to grasses, 

trees, or wetlands. This will improve water 

quality by reducing sediment, nutrients, 

nitrogen, and other pollutants from 

entering streams and rivers, and enhance 

wildlife habitat in the area. 

Goals

The goals of the Ohio Scioto River 

Watershed CREP include:

• Create 70,000 acres of permanent 

vegetative cover adjacent to rivers and 

streams within the Scioto River Watershed 

when full enrollment is reached.

• Increase the population of migratory birds 

and waterfowl, grassland birds, and other 

wildlife on land enrolled in CRP through 

this CREP by 50 percent, when compared 

to similar land managed for agricultural 

production. 

• Maintain CREP enrollment to sustain total 

suspended solids levels at the rate of 85 

mg/l as an annual flow weighted mean 

concentration.

For More 

Information

This fact sheet is provided 

for informational purposes 

only; other restrictions 

or requirements may 

apply. Consult your local 

FSA office for details. For 

more information, contact 

your local service center 

and USDA Farm Service 

Agency office: farmers.

gov/service-locator.

Ohio State 

Farm Service Agency

200 North High St

Room 540

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 255-2441

November 2022 xx.fsa.usda.gov fsa.usda.gov
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) 2

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

Eligible Conservation 

Practices

The following specific CRP conservation 

practices are available:

• CP1 Establishment of Permanent 

 Introduced Grasses

• CP2 Establishment of Permanent 

 Native Grasses

• CP9 Shallow Water Areas for 

 Wildlife

• CP21 Filter Strips

• CP21S Saturated Filter Strips

• CP22 Riparian Buffer

• CP23 Wetland Restoration

• CP23A Wetland Restoration, 

 Non-Floodplain

Enrollment and 

Eligibility Requirements

Enrollment in CRP through the Ohio 

Scioto River Watershed CREP is on a 

continuous basis. To be eligible, land 

must be located in Ohio. Land must be 

either cropland or marginal pastureland. 

Cropland must meet cropping history 

criteria according to current FSA National 

CRP Directives and be physically and 

legally capable of being planted in 

a normal manner to an agricultural 

commodity. 

Payments

Under the Ohio Scioto River Watershed 

CREP, eligible participants may receive the 

following payments: 

• A one-time signing incentive payment 

(SIP) is paid for land enrolled in CP9, 

CP21, CP21S, CP22, CP23, and CP23A 

practices.

• A one-time practice incentive payment 

(PIP) equal to 40% percent of eligible 

reimbursable costs incurred for 

installation of CP9, CP21, CP21S, CP22, 

CP23, and CP23A practices.

• An annual rental payment consisting of:

• A base soil rental rate, determined by 

the soils of the land offered

• An incentive payment as follows, 

except for land enrolled or re-enrolled 

under infeasible-to-farm provisions:

◊ 100 percent, for new land enrolled in 

practice CP9, CP22, CP23, and CP23A;

◊ 75 percent, for re-enrolled land enrolled 

in practice CP9, CP22, CP23, and CP23A;

◊ 75 percent, for new land enrolled in 

practice CP2, CP21, and CP21S; and

◊ 50 percent, for re-enrolled land enrolled 

in practice CP2, CP21, and CP21S.

◊ New and re-enrolled land enrolled in 

practice CP1 is not eligible for a per-acre 

incentive payment.

• A maintenance incentive payment for 

CP21, CP21S, and CP22 practices in 

accordance with FSA National CRP 

Directives 

• A cost-share payment of up to 50 

percent of the eligible cost to install the 

approved practice.

In addition, the State of Ohio will 

provide eligible participants with a 

one-time incentive payment following 

practice completion. State incentive 

payment amounts will vary based on 

the practice enrolled or reenrolled.

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 Ohio Scioto River 

Watershed CREP provides additional 

benefits not available through general 

and/or continuous signup. Under the 

Ohio Scioto River Watershed 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 is not authorized 

on land enrolled in CRP through the 

Ohio Scioto River Watershed CREP.

fsa.usda.gov