Nebraska Platte 

Republican Resource Area

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Overview

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

and the State of Nebraska are partners in 

implementing a voluntary Conservation 

Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to 

enroll up to 100,000 acres of agricultural 

land which encompasses seven Natural 

Resource Districts, portions of two river 

basins and all or portions of Banner, Buffalo, 

Chase, Cheyenne, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, 

Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Gosper, 

Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Kearney, Keith, 

Kimball, Lincoln, McPherson, Morrill, 

Nuckolls, Phelps, Red Willow, Scotts Bluff, 

Sioux and Webster counties. The purpose of 

the Nebraska Platte-Republican Resources 

Area CREP is to reduce the amount of 

irrigated water consumptive use and 

agricultural chemicals and sediment entering 

waters of the State from agricultural lands 

and transportation corridors within the 

project 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 Nebraska Platte-Republican 

Resources Area 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 from agricultural 

production and convert the land to 

native grasses, trees and other vegetation 

or restore wetlands. This will reduce 

irrigation water use, improve water 

quality, reduce soil erosion, reduce the 

amount of sediment, phosphorous and 

other pollutants entering waterbodies and 

improve wildlife habitat in the area. 

Goals

CREP is part of the USDA Conservation 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP

The goals of the Nebraska Platte 

Republican Resources Area CREP include:

• Reduce the application of water for 

cropland irrigation

• Increase surface and groundwater 

retention.

• Establish conservation buffers and restore 

wetlands.

• Reduce the application of triazine 

producers.

• Reduce leaching of nitrate compounds into 

area streams and ground water’

• Reduce the application of phosphate 

producers.

For More Info

For more information 

on this project, contact 

your local service center 

and USDA Farm Service 

Agency office: farmers.

gov/service-locator.

Nebraska State Farm 

Service Agency

7131 A Street

Lincoln, NE 68510

Phone: (402) 437-5581

Fax: (844) 930-0237

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

Goals

• Reduce nitrogen and phosphorus 

levels form agricultural activities.

• Establish native grassland habitat for 

wildlife and increase the populations 

of pheasants and other ground 

nesting birds; and

• Reduce the consumption of fossil 

fuels and electricity for irrigation. 

Eligible Conservation 

Practices

The following specific CRP 

conservation practices are available:

• CP2, Establishment of Permanent 

Native Grasses

• CP4D, Permanent Wildlife Habitat

• CP12, Wildlife Food Plot

• CP21, Filter Strip

• CP22, Riparian Buffer

• CP23, Wetland Restoration

• CP23A, Wetland Restoration, 

Non-Floodplain; and 

• CP25, Rare and Declining Habitat

Enrollment 

and Eligibility 

Requirements

Enrollment in CRP through the Platte 

Republican Resources Area CREP is 

on a continuous basis. To be eligible, 

land must be located in the project 

area and be irrigated cropland or a 

non-irrigated center-pivot corner in 

Nebraska. Non-irrigated center-pivot 

corners are only eligible if enrolled 

with the associated irrigated centerpivot cropland. Cropland must meet 

cropping history criteria and be 

physically and legally capable of being 

planted in a normal manner to an 

agricultural commodity.

Payments

Under the Nebraska Platte Republican 

Resources Area CREP, eligible 

participants may receive the following 

payments:

• A one-time practice incentive 

payment (PIP) equal to 40 percent 

of eligible reimbursable costs 

incurred for installation of CP1, 

CP2 and CP4D. 

• An annual rental payment 

consisting of:

◊ A base soil rental rate, 

determined by the soils of the 

land offered

◊ A maintenance incentive 

payment for CP21, 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.

The Nebraska Department of Natural 

Resources will pay 50 percent of the 

eligible costs for establishing the 

conservation practices, when new land 

is offered, for practices CP2, CP4D, 

CP21, CP22, CP23, CP23A and CP25. 

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 Nebraska 

Platte Republican Resources Area 

CREP provides additional benefits 

not available through general and/

or continuous signup. Under the 

Nebraska Platte Republican Resources 

Area CREP, producers receive irrigated 

rental rates and higher incentive 

payments for higher total payments 

received. 

Haying and Grazing

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. 

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