Virginia Southern Rivers

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 

15,000 acres of agricultural land in Southern 

Rivers Basins (outside the Chesapeake Bay 

drainage basin) within the Commonwealth of 

Virginia. The purpose of the Virginia Southern 

Rivers 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 Southern Rivers 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 Southern Rivers 

CREP include:

 Helping agricultural producers meet 

nutrient and sediment reduction goals;

 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 

Southern Rivers CREP is on a continuous 

basis. To be eligible, land must be located in 

Virginia and outside the Chesapeake Bay 

Drainage Basin in Appomattox, Bedford, 

Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buchanan, 

Campbell, Carroll, Charlotte, Chesapeake, 

Craig, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Floyd, Franklin, 

Giles, Greensville, Halifax, Henry, Isle of Wight, 

Lee, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, 

Northampton, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, 

Prince Edward, Prince George, Pulaski, 

Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Southampton, 

Suffolk, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Virginia 

Beach, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties. 

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.

For More 

Information

Contact your local service 

center and USDA Farm 

Service Agency office: 

farmers.gov/servicelocator. 

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 SOUTHERN RIVERS - CREP 2

Payments

Under the Virginia Southern Rivers CREP, eligible participants may receive the following payments:

 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 $90 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.

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 Southern Rivers CREP provides additional 

benefits not available through general and/or continuous signup. Under the Virginia Southern Rivers 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 Southern Rivers CREP.

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