Understanding the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

The Conservation Reserve Program is one of USDA's most distinctive tools: rather than paying for crop production, it pays farmers not to farm. Specifically, it pays annual rental rates for highly erodible land, wetlands, and other environmentally sensitive acres that are enrolled in long-term contracts.

How CRP works

Farmers offer land into CRP through periodic sign-up windows. USDA accepts offers based on an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) that scores each parcel on factors like soil erosion, water quality benefit, wildlife habitat, and air quality impact. Accepted parcels are enrolled in 10–15 year contracts. During the contract period, the farmer cannot crop the enrolled acres and must maintain approved conservation cover (native grasses, trees, or other vegetation).

Annual rental payments

Payment rates are set by county and reflect the agricultural rental value of the land. In high-value corn belt counties, CRP rates can exceed $200/acre/year. In rangeland counties, rates may be $20–40/acre. The annual rental payments show up in USDA financial assistance data and are tracked in SubsidyLookup.

Environmental impact

CRP is credited with reducing soil erosion by hundreds of millions of tons annually, improving water quality in streams and aquifers, and providing significant habitat for pheasants, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Conservation organizations and hunting groups have long supported maintaining high CRP enrollment levels.

CRP acreage trends

Enrollment peaked around 37 million acres in the late 2000s and has varied since, constrained by both budget caps and farmer decisions to bring land back into production when commodity prices rise. Recent farm bills have set caps around 25–27 million acres.

Finding CRP payments

CRP is listed under CFDA 10.069 in SubsidyLookup. Visit the program index and look for CFDA 10.069, or use search to find CRP payments by state or county.