The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the federal government’s single largest environmental improvement program. Today, over 35 million acres are enrolled in CRP, with 2.5 million acres planted to trees and two million acres converted to wildlife practices. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated wildlife benefits from CRP of $1.4 billion for water fowl hunting and $4.1 billion for nonconsumptive wildlife benefits, such as photography and wildlife watching. There are roughly 8,500 miles of CRP filter strips along bodies of water, and 32.3 million CRP acres devoted to grass cover. In addition, countless lakes, rivers, ponds and streams are cleaner and more vital in part because of the CRP. USDA economists estimate an economic benefit from CRP in the range of $1.3-$4.2 billion in improved surface water quality.

Even more impressive, CRP’s success is accomplished through voluntary partnerships between individuals and government. Instead of compelling participation, the program provides incentives and assistance to farmers and ranchers for establishing valuable conservation practices that have a beneficial impact on resources both on and off the farm. It encourages landowners to voluntarily plant permanent covers of grass and trees on land that is subject to erosion, and in areas where vegetation can improve water quality or provide food and habitat for wildlife.

The New Conservation Reserve Program

The "New CRP" was launched on February 19, 1997 after intense involvement by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) to shift the CRP away from a market-control program into a program that addresses environmental concerns and mandates. This program allows farmers and ranchers to run their operation with less government intervention. Some of the other areas of the program that NCBA supports include:

1. NCBA supports allowing lands with less than an environmental index of 8 to be enrolled, but with certain extenuating environmental factors such as: acreage supporting endangered species; certain water quality concerns; or particular wind erosion situations.
2. Of huge importance to the cattle industry is the freedom to forage cattle during disasters in order to keep livestock operations economically viable during an emergency situation.
3. NCBA opposes haying and grazing in non-emergency situations. Haying and grazing CRP in non-emergencies provides subsidized grazing, creating an economical advantage for producers who have CRP lands over those producers who do not have land enrolled into the program.