Virginia Chesapeake Bay

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Overview

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

the Commonwealth of Virginia are partners in 

implementing a voluntary Conservation Reserve 

Enhancement Program (CREP) to enroll up to 

25,000 acres of agricultural land in Chesapeake 

Bay drainage basin within the Commonwealth 

of Virginia. The purpose of the Virginia 

Chesapeake Bay CREP is to achieve nutrient 

reductions from agricultural areas, reduce the 

amount of sediment entering the water courses, 

and enhance habitat for the preservation of 

biological resources of the Commonwealths 

including threatened and endangered species 

dependent on riparian areas.

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 Virginia Chesapeake Bay CREP, 

federal and state resources are made available 

to program participants to voluntarily enroll in 

CRP for 10 to 15-year contracts. Participants 

remove cropland and marginal pastureland from 

agricultural production and convert the land to 

grasses, trees, or other approved vegetation. 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 Virginia Chesapeake Bay 

CREP include:

 Helping agricultural producers 

meet nutrient and sediment 

reduction goals in the Chesapeake 

Bay Watershed;

 Establishing and restoring cropped 

wetland areas;

 Establishing, restoring and 

enhancing riparian areas;

 Enhancing riparian and wetland 

habitat for wildlife.

Eligible Conservation 

Practices

The following specific CRP 

conservation practices are available:

 CP21, Filter Strip

 CP22, Riparian Buffer

 CP23, Wetland Restoration

 CP29, Marginal Pastureland 

Wildlife Habitat Buffer

Enrollment and Eligibility 

Requirements

Enrollment in CRP through the Virginia 

Chesapeake Bay CREP is on a continuous 

basis. To be eligible, land must be 

located in Virginia and within the 

Chesapeake Bay Drainage Basin. 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 Virginia Chesapeake Bay CREP, 

eligible participants may receive the 

following payments:

For More 

Information

Contact your local service 

center and USDA Farm 

Service Agency office: 

farmers.gov/servicelocator. 

Chesapeake Service 

Center

310 Shea Drive

Chesapeake, VA

23322-5571

Phone: (757) 547-7172

Fax: (855) 621-7145

This fact sheet is provided 

for informational purposes 

only; other restrictions or 

requirements may apply. 

Consult your local FSA 

office for details.

APRIL 2024
VIRGINIA CHESAPEAKE BAY - CREP 2

Payments (cont.)

 A one-time signing incentive payment (SIP) is paid in accordance with FSA National CRP Directives of $100 per acre for CP21, 

CP22 and CP29 practices.

 A one-time practice incentive payment (PIP) equal to 40 percent of eligible reimbursable costs incurred for installation of 

CP21, CP22, CP23 and CP29.

 A one-time Wetland Restoration Incentive (WRI) payment in an amount equal to 25 percent of the cost of restoring the 

hydrology of the site, for CP23 practice acres. 

 A per-acre annual rental payment, not to exceed $100 per acre, consisting of:

y A base soil rental rate, determined by the soils of the land offered.

y An incentive payment equal to 120 percent, except for land enrolled or re-enrolled under infeasible-to-farm. 

y A maintenance incentive payment of $5 for practices CP21, CP22, CP23 and CP29.

y A cost-share payment of up to 50 percent of the eligible reimbursable costs incurred for the installation of the approved 

conservation practice.

y A one-time Chesapeake Bay Incentive Payment (CBIP) in an amount equal to $100 to $300 per aces, for CP22 practice located 

within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The one-time CBIP amount is based on the average width of the riparian buffer. 

In addition, the Commonwealth of Virginia will provide eligible participants a cost-share payment and offer one-time lump-sum 

incentive payments of $50 or $75 per acre, based on the length of the contract.

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 Virginia Chesapeake Bay CREP provides additional 

benefits not available through general and/or continuous signup. Under the Virginia Chesapeake Bay 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 though the Virginia Chesapeake Bay CREP.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. fsa.usda.gov