The 2014 federal Farm Bill authorized voluntary conservation programs to help landowners
enhance, restore or protect significant habitats such as wetlands, forests and grasslands.
Many programs also are designed to help landowners protect water quality and prevent
soil erosion. These programs provide one-time or annual payments to landowners.
Some programs also provide partial or full payment of habitat restoration costs.
Major programs include:
Wetland Reserve Easements:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), administers this program. NRCS provides technical and financial
assistance to landowners wanting to enhance, restore or protect wetlands. Easement
payments and restoration costs vary depending on whether land is cleared or forested
and whether an easement is permanent or not. Per-acre payments to landowners also
vary by state and county or parish. NRCS also pays up to 100 percent of restoration
costs. To enroll land in a wetland reserve easement, landowners can apply through
local USDA Service
Centers.
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Conservation Reserve Program:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA), an agency of the USDA, administers this program.
Landowners receive yearly rental payments, based on soil types, in exchange for
agreeing to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and
establish plant cover that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts
for land enrolled are usually for 10 to 15 years. The programs goals are to improve
water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. A variety
of land types can be enrolled, including bottomland hardwood forests, longleaf pine
forests, waterfowl habitat, upland bird habitat, floodplain wetlands, highly erodible
land and others. Landowners can enroll through local
FSA Service Center.
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (incorporates the former Wildlife Habitat
Incentives Program)
NRCS administers this program to help agricultural producers and others implement
conservation practices on working lands. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland,
pastures and forests. Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; beginning or
limited resource farmers and ranchers; and military veterans may be eligible for
enhanced or advance payments. Goals of the program include water pollution reduction,
water conservation, erosion reduction, promotion of habitat for at-risk wildlife
and carbon sequestration. Payments to landowners can be up to 100 percent of the
cost of planning and implementing conservation practices. Landowners can apply through
local USDA Service
Centers.
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Conservation Stewardship Program:
NRCS administers this program to encourage agricultural producers and other landowners
to maintain and improve existing conservation practices and implement new practices.
Participants receive an annual land use payment for operation-level environmental
benefits they produce. Payments rise as conservation results increase. Numerous
types of conservation practices are encouraged, including those to protect water
quality; enhance wetlands or grasslands; establish riparian forest buffers; establish
waterfowl or shorebird habitat; improve wildlife habitat through controlled burning;
and establish pollinator or beneficial insect populations. Landowners can apply
through USDA Service
Centers.
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Healthy Forests Reserve Program:
Through the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, NRCS helps landowners restore, enhance
or protect privately owned forests to promote recovery of endangered or threatened
species; improve plant and animal diversity; and enhance carbon sequestration. In
the Lower Mississippi River region, landowners in Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi
are eligible to apply for funding. The program offers various enrollment options,
including 10-year restoration cost-share agreements, 30-year easements, 30-year
contracts with Indian tribes and permanent easements. Landowners can apply through
USDA Service Centers in the applicable states
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Additional information on conservation programs authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill:
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