Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
The Continuous Signup provision of the Conservation Reserve Program has been very popular in Preble County. this program offers cost-share and an annual rental payment for practices such as grassed waterways and filter strips. This program will be continued and even expanded in the new farm bill.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program(EQIP)
This existing program has been re-authorized in the new farm bill and should be more "attractive" to livestock operators due to numerous changes in the programs. This program will offer financial incentives for such practices as manure storage facilities, erosion control structures, conservation tillage, nutrient management and waste utilization. In the past, Preble County livestock operators typically could not utilize this program due to a lack of funding and being in a non-geographic priority area. The new program eliminates the priority areas, increases the funding, eliminates the cap on large confined livestock operations and contains many other changes that should make this program more "farmer friendly" than in the past.
Conservation Security Program (CSP)
This is a new program that will be starting in 2003 that will reward farmers for good environmental stewardship and provide incentives for addressing additional resource concerns on agricultural working lands. This program establishes three tier levels of conservation "contracts" with each tier offering an incentive payment for a certain level of conservation practices installed and maintained. Those farmers who have practiced good conservation for many years helping to protect our streams, lakes, creeks and other natural resources, may now be rewarded for their efforts.
To find out more about all the new Farm Bill Conservation Programs, visit the NRCS website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill.