CRP was considered a "Godsend" by many South Carolina farmers when it arrived. Crop prices had begun a steady decline in the late 1970's, and farmers had held on by borrowing more money trying to "borrow their way out of debt." Many farmers in grave financial situations were able to enroll portions of their agricultural land in CRP. The CRP rental payments were then used to satisfy farm debt and ultimately keep numerous family farms "in the family."

In the beginning, CRP was designed to retire highly-erodible land from row crop production. Congress originally mandated that one-eighth of the total CRP acreage authorized be planted to trees. South Carolina planted hundreds of thousands of acres in trees and by 1989 ranked fourth in the nation for planting trees under CRP. Since CRP targeted highly erodible row-crop land, many counties in the State were not actively involved in CRP. Over the years CRP evolved to address water quality concerns.

In 1988, the program was expanded to include the establishment of vegetative filter strips. These filter strips were established on cropland adjacent to permanent water bodies to reduce non-point source pollution. In 1989, South Carolina ranked number two in the Nation for the establishment of vegetative filter strips. South Carolina's accomplishments continued, and as documented in the publication "Buffernotes," in January 2003, South Carolina was one of the top five Riparian Buffer States. With the addition of CRP practices addressing water quality concerns, all counties in South Carolina became active CRP Counties.

The effects of CRP on wildlife gained National and State attention. The State has gone from planting monoculture loblolly pine plantations, that provide little feed or habitat, to planting pines at wider spacing and leaving wildlife opening and planting longleaf pines. The economic impacts of wildlife activities in South Carolina are astounding. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, in 2001, consumers spent $1.1 billion recreational dollars on wildlife activities in the state.

In August 2004, President George W. Bush announced a new CRP initiative, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds. South Carolina received an allocation of 5,000 acres for this practice. No application was accepted in the State until November 1, 2004, for the practice that has been coined "Quail Strips." Just 5 months later, by March 31, 2005, all 5,000 acres had been allotted to producers.

South Carolina Farm Service Agency thanks the following sister agencies and organizations that have assisted in our success over the past twenty years: Natural Resources Conservation Service, South Carolina Forestry Commission, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Carolina Forestry Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, National Wild Turkey Federation and Quail Unlimited.

Robbie Newman, NRCS Soil Conservation Technician in Kershaw County, flags area where practice CP33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, will be established.

Kershaw County FSA CED Bill Betha and South Carolina FSA SED Ken Rentiers use GPS unit to measure area for installation of new practice CP-33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds. The buffers will enhance quail habitat.