USDA Fields Wetlands Pilot Program

May 2, 2001

USDA has approved a two-year wetlands pilot program as part of the continuous sign-up of the Conservation Reserve Program. Sens. Tim Johnson and Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrats, announced the final approval. Farm Service Agency offices will be able to sign land-owners up for the program as soon as they receive the program guidelines from USDA. The county offices already have begun compiling lists of people who have expressed interest in the program, according to Johnson and Daschle.

The pilot program permits farmers in six states to enroll approximately 500,000 farmable wetland acres in the continuous sign-up provisions of the CRP. The action would compensate farmers for protecting sensitive, highly erodible wetlands in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and Montana, the so-called "prairie pothole" region. The program represents a compromise reached between conservation and farm groups last year.

"I am pleased that the regulation has been finally approved by USDA, but I am somewhat disappointed that it has taken so long. However, with the cool, wet spring weather we have had, many producers may be able to alter their planting decisions and still be able to take advantage of this program. This new program means that highly erodible land that has not been eligible for CRP can now be protected through this pilot program. This pilot project will improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat. My goal would be to make this a permanent program when we write a new farm bill in 2002," Johnson said.

The pilot program would not exceed 500,000 acres in the six states. The senators believe this pilot project will result in a number of benefits including additional acres enrolled in continuous CRP, improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, enhanced wildlife habitat, fewer wetlands drainage requests, and compensation for landowners for protecting sensitive wetlands. Contracts will be for 10 or 15 years.

Specifically, the program allows farmable wetlands located in highly productive fields to be enrolled in continuous CRP, on a pilot basis. Currently, only the buffer strips surrounding the wetlands are eligible for CRP. The purpose of the pilot is to test whether this program design is sufficient to have the desirable effect, prior to the next farm bill debate.

A two-year sign-up is allowed for wetlands defined as land that has been cropped in at least three of the past 10 years, in areas that are no more than five acres. Wetlands and flood plains adjacent to riverine system wetlands identified on final national wetland inventory maps produced by the U.S. and Fish and Wildlife Service are not eligible. Payments consistent with those available for riparian buffers and filter strips will be made. Total enrolled acreage per tract (typically a quarter section) will be limited to 40 acres.