October 1998

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), and the State of Washington have agreed to implement a voluntary Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to improve the water quality of streams providing habitat for salmon species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

The project area includes all streams in Washington crossing agricultural lands providing spawning habitat for the endangered salmon species.

The Washington State Enhancement Program is authorized to enroll up to 100,000 acres to be devoted to riparian buffers planted to trees.

CCC will pay applicable land rental costs, 50 percent of the cost of establishing conservation practices, an annual maintenance incentive, and a portion of the costs of providing technical assistance.

The State of Washington will pay 37.5 percent of the cost of establishing conservation practices, all the costs of the annual monitoring program, and a portion of the technical assistance costs.

Annual rental payments will be based on the soil rental rate, as calculated by FSA. For installing the riparian buffer, producers will receive each year an incentive payment 50 percent above the annual per acre rental rate.

Additionally, producers will receive a 10-percent incentive payment for lands protected as agricultural lands under the Washington Growth Management Act.

The eligible CRP practice will be CP 22 (Riparian Buffer Area)

Producers may also offer eligible acreage for general or continuous CRP signup.

In addition to offering acreage along salmon streams, the application must satisfy the basic eligibility criteria for CRP.

Land must be cropland that has been cropped 2 out of the past 5 years that is physically and legally capable of being cropped. Marginal pastureland is also eligible to be enrolled provided that it is suitable for use as a riparian buffer planted to trees.

Producers are eligible if the land has been owned or operated for at least one year prior to enrollment. Land with an existing CRP contract or an approved offer with a contract pending is not eligible for CREP until that contract expires.

CREP enrollment will be on a continuous basis beginning January 1, 1999. Producers can sign up at the local USDA Service Center.

Information about CREP is available at State FSA offices and the FSA CREP website.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.