Media on MN CREP in Mower County:
May 2017 - MN CREP kickoff in Mower (media release)
March 2019 - First signup in Mower (media release; KTTC-TV story)
Those interested in MN CREP or CRP with land in Mower County should contact Mower SWCD's James Fett (james.fett@mowerswcd.org) to learn more about applying for MN CREP.
What is MN CREP?
Landowner enrollment within the 54-county Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (MN CREP) project area began in May 2017. Mower County is included in the MN CREP area and had its first enrollments in late 2018.
CREP is an offshoot of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the country’s largest private-land conservation program. Administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), CREP targets state-identified, high-priority conservation issues.
Scope
- 60,000 acres
- 54 counties in southern and western Minnesota
- Approximately $500 million total with $350 million from USDA and $150 million from the State
- Prioritize water quality and habitat through the restoration and protection of marginal cropland using the following conservation practices:
- Buffer Strips
- Wetland restoration
- Wellhead Protection Areas
- Voluntary approach using a combination of the USDA-FSA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the nationally-recognized state Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) conservation easement program
Five Minnesota state agencies have come together to support MN CREP, including Board of Water and Soil Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Natural Resources and Pollution Control Agency.
This project is a federal, state, and local partnership and will voluntarily retire environmentally sensitive land using the nationally-recognized Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Reserve program.
This is accomplished through permanent protection by establishing conservation practices via payments to farmers and agricultural land owners. CREP is implemented locally through Soil and Water Conservation Districts and many other partners.
CRP
What is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)?
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. If you would like to watch an informational video on CRP, please click here.
Why is CRP important?
Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, CRP is the largest private-lands conservation program in the United States. Thanks to voluntary participation by farmers and land owners, CRP has improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, and increased habitat for endangered and threatened species. For success stories, click here.
CRP Initiatives
- Bottomland Hardwoods Initiative
- Duck Habitat Initiative
- Floodplain Wetland Initiative
- Highly Erodible Land Initiative
- Honeybee Habitat Initiative
- Longleaf Pine Initiative
- Non-Floodplain and Playa Lakes Wetland Initiative
- Pollinator Habitat Initiative
- State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative
- Upland Bird Habitat Initiative