NEWS

Farm Service Agency

Public Affairs Staff

1400 Independence Ave SW

Stop 0506, Room 3624-South

Washington, D.C. 20250-0506

Release No. 1526.06

Sign-up for conservation program enhancement begins October 20

LONDON, Ohio, Sept. 19, 2006 – Larry Adams, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) assistant deputy administrator for farm programs, today joined Ohio officials to announce additions to the Ohio Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) that will improve the water quality of Lake Erie and contributing watersheds. The new elements, designed to attract more participants, include new conservation practices, target additional areas that will improve water quality and provide increased payments to landowners.

"These new conservation efforts show that the Bush Administration's Cooperative Conservation Initiative is working," said Adams. "The Lake Erie CREP will enlist many partners to maximize its effectiveness and provide a cleaner environment today and in the future."

Adams made the announcement at the Farm Science Review held in London, Ohio, during a ceremony recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). John Stevenson, Ohio FSA state executive director; Sam Speck, director for Ohio Department of Natural Resources; David Hanselmann, chief of the Division of Soil and Water Conservation for Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Dave Graham, assistant chief for the Division of Wildlife for Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Terry Cosby, state conservationist for Ohio USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Kurt Waterstradt, state coordinator for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Gary Moore, agricultural policy specialist for The Nature Conservancy; and representatives from Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever also participated in the CRP event.

Although the Ohio Lake Erie CREP has been successful so far, enrolling more than 25,000 acres, Ohio partners believe the improvements announced today are necessary to achieve the program's goals. The amended agreement gives participants the option of entering into a state agreement to extend environmental benefits by an additional 15 years and focuses more state funds on water quality practices. To entice additional enrollments, the amended CREP project includes some increases in federal and state payments for many practices offered.

FSA and Ohio officials upgraded the CREP project by adding new conservation practices such as:

The Ohio Lake Erie CREP project area includes all or portions of 27 northwestern Ohio counties in the Lake Erie watershed. The 27 counties are Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Lorain, Marion, Medina, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot.

Eligible producers may continue to sign up for the program under the existing rules; however, sign-up for the enhanced Ohio Lake Erie CREP is scheduled to begin Oct. 20, 2006. Sign-up continues until the 67,000-acre enrollment goal is reached, or through Dec. 31, 2007, whichever comes first. Enrolled land remains under a CREP contract for 14 to 15 years.

FSA estimates the Ohio Lake Erie CREP total cost when fully enrolled over a 15-year period at $220 million with USDA contributing $184 million, and Ohio funding $36 million. Over the course of the contracts, CREP participants will receive incentive payments, annual rental payments and cost-share assistance.

Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever contribute to the Ohio Lake Erie CREP by providing technical assistance to FSA offices and by promoting the program. In 2005, FSA and Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever formally agreed to cooperate to enhance pheasant and other wildlife populations through habitat improvement, public awareness and education, and land management that also benefits landowners.

CREP is a federal/state conservation program that addresses targeted agriculture-related environmental concerns. CREP is part of CRP, a private-lands conservation program, with more than 36 million acres enrolled. Through the general CRP and CREP, farmers and ranchers plant grasses and trees in crop fields and along streams. The plantings stop soil and nutrients from washing into regional waterways and contaminating the air. They also provide habitat for wildlife.

You can obtain more information on the Ohio Lake Erie CREP at local FSA offices and on FSA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Web site

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