Title II: Conservation

Andy Seidl, Colorado State University

Working lands, Preservation & Reserve Programs

Preservation:◦ Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP)◦ Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

Reserve:◦ Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)◦ Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)◦ Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP)

NRCS programs except CRP (FSA): http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2008/index.html

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2008/ataglance.html

General eligibility: <$1 million gross nonfarm income OR >2/3 of income from farming.

Do not appeal to ‘environmental ethic’; people react to incentives.

Typically are authorized/appropriated $$, not mandatory.

Preservation Programs: ◦ Stewardship of public goods attributes of agriculture.◦ More popular when ag prices are low.◦ Can be at cross-purposes with ‘working lands’ and ‘commodity’

programs.◦ ‘Green box’ under WTO environmental norms.

Reserve Programs: ◦ Supply management.◦ Popular when ag prices are low; Not popular currently.◦ Consistent with preservation program and Title I objectives.◦ ‘Green box’ under WTO structural adjustment norms.

Are INELIGIBLE for new Cooperative Conservation provisions.

Conservation easement driven◦ Goal is to maintain public goods attributes of

private lands stewardship.◦ Some call for consolidation under “Private Lands

Protection” program.◦ Landowner voluntarily agrees to a deed restriction

and/or landscape restoration in exchange for compensation.

◦ Can be permanent or term. Federal tax deduction for donated

easements extended through 2009.

Where to go: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp/

Authorized as FPP in 1996. FRPP as of 2002. 533 thousand acres enrolled to date. Currently, $97 million/yr (authorized), $50

million appropriated. Provides match of up to 50% of fair market

easement value to local govt’s or NGOs for easement purchases.

$773 million total authorized budget over bill. Ramping to $200 million authorized annual budget. “Protecting topsoil” becomes “protecting

agricultural use and related conservation values of the land.”

Allows for longer term agreements with cooperators (5 yrs if certified, 3 yrs if not).

Certification process made easier. Secretary does not purchase easements, rather

facilitates their purchase. Secretary may require enforcement provisions in

the easement that are not subject to Federal land acquisition standards.

Where to go: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/

Technical and financial assistance to improve wildlife habitat.

Not as focused on working landscapes, more on supplemental or alternative land management.

Currently $40 million annual program. 5-10 yr agreements. Focused in NE and West Coast.

Non-ag, state, county and local public lands now INELIGIBLE.

Private ag, Non-industrial private forest, tribal lands are ELIGIBLE.

Pivot corners and other irregular areas are ELIGIBLE.

25% of funds (up from 15%) are for long term (>15 yr) agreements.

Priority to state, regional and national conservation objectives.

Authorized at $85 million per year. Payment cap of $50K per year.

Based on long term contracts and cost-share agreements for technical assistance.

Originally a supply control measure. Take fragile/targeted lands out of

production, therefore out of economy. Targeted lands have significant public good

attributes and relatively low private benefits in agricultural production.

Where to go: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp

Established 1985 to prevent soil erosion and control crop supply.

Annual rental payments based on the agricultural rental value of the land.

10-15 yr rental contracts. Focused in Great Plains. ‘Green box’ under WTO structural adjustment criteria. Now, 37 million acres enrolled, more emphasis on

environmental side. 15 million acres expired in 2007, 12 million re-enrolled

through REX program. 12.5 million additional acres due to expire by 2010.

Authorizes 39.2 million acres for 2009 32 million acres 2010-2012 CREP waiver of 25% hot spot limits. Purpose expanded to include broader scale conservation

initiatives Cropping history requirement 4 of 6 yrs, 2002-2007. Payment limit of $50K per year. Allows existing contract adjustments (2 yrs extra

payments) if transferring to special status farmers and ranchers.

Exceptions for biofuel production, wind turbines and some grazing (with payment reductions).

Farmable wetland program (FWP) expanded.◦ Eligible acreage definition loosened.◦ 1 million acre limit, 100,000 per state.

Where to go: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/ Established 1990 Goal: Max wetland function, value and wildlife habitat on

enrolled acres. 2002: Reauthorized to max of 2,275 million acres. 2007: 1,837,671 acres & annual enrollment of 250,000

acres. Tends to focus in Florida, California and Mississippi River

Basin. 3 enrollment options:

◦ Permanent easement, pays up to 100% of easement value and restoration costs

◦ 30 yr easement, 75% each◦ Restoration Cost-Share agreement, 75% of restoration costs.

Expands to 3.041 million acres (up by 766,200 acres) and $1.3 billion.

Establishes WREP. Establishes payment schedule based on size

of easement value (+/- $500K) Establishes similar process for determining

easement value as other preservation programs.

Land that has changed ownership within past 7 yrs is INELIGIBLE.

$50K annual cap on restoration payments.

New in 2002. Currently, 250 easements covering 115,000

acres. Restores and protects grassland, rangeland,

pastureland and shrub land. Emphasizes support for working grazing

operations.

Adds 1.22 million acres and $300 million in new authorized funding.

Allows for short term contracts, easements and cooperative agreements.◦ Permanent easements.◦ 10, 15, 20 yr rental contracts.◦ 50% cost share restoration agreements

Provides priority for expired CRP acres.◦ Limit 10% of total enrolled acres per year.

Eligible land expanded to those with historical or archeological resources or that meet state, regional or national conservation priorities.

Requires grazing management plan. Same easement requirements as FRPP. $50K annual payment limit.

Shorter term agreements are more often allowed. Some increases in authorized funding. Some increases in local control, not state block

grants.◦ ‘issues raised by state, regional and national

conservation initiatives.’◦ 3rd party certification process and appraisal process

streamlined. No revolutionary changes. Continued trend toward working lands programs

and away from preservation programs. Greater flexibility for farmers & ranchers may

increase popularity of programs, but may also decrease long term effectiveness in achieving environmental goals.