The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) oversees a number of voluntary conservation-related programs. These programs work to address a large number of farming and ranching related conservation issues including:
- Drinking water protection
- Reducing soil erosion
- Wildlife habitat preservation
- Preservation and restoration of forests and wetlands
- Aiding farmers whose farms are damaged by natural disasters
FSA accomplishes these goals through the conservation programs listed below.
Conservation Reserve Program
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pays a yearly rental payment in exchange for farmers removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and planting species that will improve environmental quality.
View the Conservation Reserve Program Page.
Read the CRP State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) fact sheet
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), an offshoot of CRP, targets high-priority conservation issues identified by government and non-governmental organizations. Farm land that falls under these conservation issues is removed from production in exchange for annual rental payments.
View the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program page.
Emergency Conservation Program
The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to restore farmland damaged by natural disasters and for emergency water conservation measures in severe droughts.
View the Emergency Conservation Program page.
Emergency Forest Restoration Program
The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP), which is very similar to the ECP, provides funding to restore privately owned forests damaged by natural disasters.
View the Emergency Forest Restoration Program page.
Farmable Wetlands Program
The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to restore wetlands and wetland buffer zones that are farmed. FWP gives farmers and ranchers annual rental payments in return for restoring wetlands and establishing plant cover.
View the Farmable Wetlands Program page
Grassland Reserve Program
The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) works to prevent grazing and pasture land from being converted into cropland or used for urban development. In return for voluntarily limiting the future development of their land, farmers receive a rental payment.
View the Grassland Reserve Program page.
Source Water Protection Program
The Source Water Protection Program (SWPP) is designed to protect surface and ground water used as drinking water by rural residents. The program targets states based on their water quality and population.
View the Source Water Protection page.
For a list of FAQs, visit Ask USDA.