Conservation Opportunities

In Illinois April 2007

Helping People Help the Land

Programs Available State-WidePrograms Available State-Wide

• CSP Conservation Security Program

• CRP Conservation Reserve Program

• EQIP Environmental Quality Incentives Program

• FRPP Farm and Ranchland Protection Program

• GRP Grassland Reserve Program

• WHIP Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

• WRP Wetlands Reserve Program

Farm Bill programs in IllinoisFarm Bill programs in Illinois

State Technical Committee Structure

State Technical

Committee

State & Federal Agencies

Commodity Groups

Producers Private Groups & Others

Subcommittees of the State Technical Committee

State Technical

Committee

Provide input for Technical

Issues

Help other agencies Work through

program issues (CREP and others)

Assist with Program Ranking

Criteria

Farm Bill programs in IllinoisFarm Bill programs in Illinois

Conservation Reserve ProgramConservation Reserve Program

USDA program to help landowners implement conservation practices.Takes cropland out of production and converts it to a conservation use.

CRP

CRP in IllinoisCRP in Illinois

• Continuous Sign-Up• Filter strips• Riparian buffers• Shallow water areas• waterways

• Concentrated Sign-Up• Practices for highly

erodible areas and others

= +Cash rent based on soil type

Cash rent based on soil type

% Practice implementation cost (50%) (plus incentives)

% Practice implementation cost (50%) (plus incentives)

Environmental Quality Incentives ProgramEnvironmental Quality Incentives Program

Conservation program that:

promotes agricultural production

improves environmental quality

provides cost-share for structural and management practices.

EQIP

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

State Technical Committee guides EQIP in Illinois and advises on:

– Ranking Criteria– Eligible Practices– Funding

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

Program Highlights– Nationally, 60% of funding

directed towards practices related to livestock production

– Total payment limits of $450,000 per individual over the life of the Farm Bill, with additional limits on certain practices

– Contract lengths vary (depending on contract obligation/appendix date)

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

Program Highlights (continued)– Requires a Comprehensive Nutrient

Management Plan (CNMP) for producers with waste handling or storage facilities

– Higher cost-share rates for limited resource farmers

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in IllinoisContinuous Sign-Up

Process– Complete CCC-1200

• Download an application from the Web and bring to the Field Office

• Or, complete an application in the office

– Self Certification for Limited Resource Producers & Beginning Farmers

• No special rate for in IL for Beginning Farmers currently

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

Continuous Sign-Up Process (continued)

– Complete application and ranking criteria for: • Confined Livestock Operations• Grazing Land Operations• Applications Not Related to Livestock• Special Projects

– Forest Management Plan– Streambank Stabilization– Ground and Surface Water Conservation projects

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

Continuous Sign-Up Process (continued)

– Application entered into Protracts– Summary of applications reviewed at the

State Office electronically (via Protracts)– Funding decisions are made statewide based

on ranking score

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

EQIP Web Site – On the Illinois

homepage at

www.il.nrcs.usda.gov– Click on “programs”

EQIP in IllinoisEQIP in Illinois

EQIP Web Site – Select “EQIP”

Farm and Ranchland Protection ProgramFarm and Ranchland Protection Program

Program that provides matching funds to organizations with farmland protection programs to purchase conservation easements & protect land from uses other than agriculture.

FRPP

FRPP in IllinoisFRPP in Illinois

Program Highlights– Landowners retain all rights

to use property for agriculture

– All conservation easements are held by the eligible organization

– Non-government organizations (NGOs) are eligible to participate in the program as easement holders

Grassland Reserve ProgramGrassland Reserve Program

Program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to restore and protect grasslands, including pastureland, while maintaining the areas as grazing lands.

GRP

GRP in IllinoisGRP in Illinois

Program Highlights– Emphasizes support for grazing operations,

plant and animal biodiversity, grasslands under the threat of conversion and remnant prairies

– Enrollment options include:• multi-year easements • rental agreements• restoration agreements

Wetland Reserve ProgramWetland Reserve Program

Program that provides funding and technical assistance for the purchase of easements to restore and retire wetlands from agricultural production for the benefit of wildlife and water quality.

WRP

WRP in IllinoisWRP in Illinois

Program Highlights• Cost share of 75% - 100%• Easement options:

– 10 year cost-share– 30 year easement– Permanent easement

Wildlife Habitat Incentives ProgramWildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Program providing technical and financial assistance to improve and protect wildlife habitat on private lands.

WHIP

WHIP in IllinoisWHIP in Illinois

Program Highlights• 5-10 year agreements with

75% cost-share• 15 year agreements with

100% cost-share

Conservation Security ProgramConservation Security Program

Program which supports ongoing conservation stewardship of agricultural lands by providing payments to producers who meet the highest standards of conservation and environmental management.

CSP

CSPCSP

““CSP will reward the best and CSP will reward the best and motivate the rest.”motivate the rest.”

USDA Secretary Ann M. VenemanUSDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman

CSPCSP

ProgramHighlights• Available in priority

watersheds– Watersheds are selected

nationally based on potential for improvements to:• Water quality,

including surface and groundwater

• Soil quality• Grazing land

conditions

Illinois CSP Illinois CSP WatershedsWatersheds

2004 - 052004 - 05

20062006

CSPCSP

Treatment Requirements• Applicants must meet minimum

treatment requirements for soil quality and water quality

– Achieve soil and water criteria will vary with the characteristics of each farm (slope, climate, etc.)

– May include management of nutrients and pesticides, erosion control, buffers

CSPCSP

“Three Tiers” of

Participation*Tier I

Address water quality and soil quality on part

of the operation

Tier IIIAddress all resource concerns on entire operation

Tier IIAddress water quality and soil quality on the entire operation; plus address one

other resource concern as identified for the watershed

CSPCSP

3-Tiered Payments

Practice Payments

Enhancement Payments

Base Payments

Tier 3

Tier 1

5 year contracts Up to $20,000/yr

Tier 2

5-10 years Up to $35,000/yr

5-10 years Up to $45,000/yr

(New)

Four Payment Components Within each Tier An annual stewardship component for the benchmark (current level of) conservation treatment.

An annual existing practice component for maintaining existing conservation practices.

One-time new practice component for additional practices.

An enhancement component for exceptional conservation effort.

CSP Enhancement (Activities above minimum)

CSP Enhancement (Activities above minimum)

• Use VRT• Spring or sidedress application of N• Provide wildlife habitat beyond the

minimum• Use low-hazard herbicides• Use soy biodiesel or ethanol

These are These are just a few just a few

of the of the activitiesactivities

CSPCSP

Application Process• Secretary of Agriculture announces sign-up

period • Applicant determines whether the farm or ranch

is in a selected watershed • Producer completes benchmark inventory of

existing conservation condition and conservation activities planned for the future

CSPCSP

Application Process (cont.)• NRCS conducts a follow-up interview to

determine if the applicant meets eligibility requirements

• NRCS places applications in tier and enrollment categories

• Successful applicants are selected at the National Level

• NRCS completes a conservation security plan with the new CSP contract holders

Technical Service ProvidersTechnical Service Providers

TSPs are private individuals or entities that are trained and approved to provide technical assistance for conservation program delivery.

TSPs

TSPsTSPs

TSPs are eligible to provide technical assistance for a variety of items:• Nutrient management planning• Pest management planning• Comprehensive nutrient

Management planning• CRP status reviews• Conservation practice design,

Installation, checkout• Irrigation water management• Forestry management practices• Wildlife management practices

TSP – Tech RegTSP – Tech Reg

Producers can find qualified TSPs on the Tech Reg site

Federal Register -- Rules

• Every program has rules created by congress

• Rules that govern our programs are recorded in the CFR (code of federal regulations)

Federal Register -- Rules

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/PubNotcAlph.html#eqip

Federal Register -- Rules• Commodity Credit Corporation• 7 CFR Part 1466, RIN 0578-AA19• Environmental Quality Incentives Program• AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, United States Department

of Agriculture.• ACTION: Final rule.• SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing a

final rule for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). CCC published a proposed rule for EQIP in the Federal Register on October 11, 1996 (61 FR 53574) and solicited comments from the public. This final rule establishes the process by which CCC will administer EQIP, responds to comments received from the public during the 45-day comment period, and incorporates clarifications to improve implementation of the program.

• EFFECTIVE DATE: May 22, 1997.

Program Manuals

• Every program has a program manual to follow.• The manual is the agency’s interpretation of the

Federal Register rules.• The manual is what the agency uses to carry

out the programs.

Program Manualshttp://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/M/M_440.htm

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

NRCS Vision: Productive Lands--Healthy Environment

NRCS Mission: Helping People Help the Land

www.il.nrcs.usda.gov