The Farm Service Agency works with partners to identify Monitoring, Assessment and Evaluation (MAE) projects to quantify CRP environmental benefits to water quality and quantity, wildlife, rural economies, and our climate.
Request for CRP Pre-proposals by July 2, 2021
The USDA Farm Service Agency is seeking pre-proposals for addressing four Conservation Reserve Program assessment needs:
- Ensuring equitable access to and broadening the appeal of CRP
- Monitoring wildlife and pollinator response to perennial vegetative cover
- Assessing haying and grazing impacts in drought-prone regions
- Longleaf pine establishment, management, and benefits
Pre-proposals may be submitted by government agencies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations and received by July 2, 2021. The agreements for those selected will be fully executed by September 30. For more information, the request can be found here. Pre-proposals must be limited to three pages or less and uploaded to Box, here.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Rich Iovanna, rich.iovanna@USDA.gov, with 2021 CRP Assessment Question on the subject line.
Request for Proposals: CRP Climate Change Mitigation Assessment Initiative
USDA is currently seeking proposals for projects to survey, sample, and measure the climate benefits of land enrolled in the following CRP practice types over time:
- Predominately Perennial grass with legumes and shrubs, depending on the practice
- Tree
- Wetland, including both mineral and organic soils and both floodplain and non-floodplain wetlands
A project can cover one or more of the above practice types and should be for a three- to five-year term, with the potential for renewal. Projects should be a minimum of $1 million and not exceed $9 million.
Applications are welcome from all types of organizations, including public, private, and nonprofit institutions. Project proposals can be from a single entity or from a group of partners who coordinate efforts. Applications from or in partnership with Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU), Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCU), and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) or organizations will be considered as part of the selection process.
The deadline for proposals is July 2, 2021. FSA will notify selected organizations by July 22. Agreements will be fully executed by September 30.
A Q&A webinar on the CRP Climate Mitigation Assessment Initiative will be held on June 9 at 2:00 PM ET. To attend, please reach out to Rich Iovanna (Rich.Iovanna@USDA.gov) and include your question(s), with “CRP Climate Change Mitigation Assessment Initiative Question” included in the subject line.
Reference the request for proposals for more information on requirements, project deliverables, evaluation criteria, and guidelines for submitting your proposal. Completed proposals can be uploaded to Box, here.
Project Summaries
Click on the links below to view summaries of recent projects.
Bird Conservation Benefits of the CRP
Assessing the Impact of the CRP on Honey Bee Health
- Assessing on-the-ground implementation of conservation practices in CRP fields across the west
- Decision support tools for CRP Grasslands in the Northern Great Plains for grassland birds
- Chesapeake Bay gains from CREP and opportunity for improvements
- Understanding landowner motivations for CRP participation, retention, and behaviors
Project Reports
Click on the text below to view full reports from completed projects.
Water Quality and Quantity Studies
MAE projects often require multiple years of observation to complete. This page lists the projects that have been funded and are under way.
Numerous organizations have monitoring and assessment programs that complement FSA’s MAE project and provide information on the benefits of the CRP.
Links to previous webinars on MAE projects are available on this site.
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