| There are many
programs available through the state and federal government that can
assist private landowners with natural resource conservation on
their land. The following are brief descriptions of these programs
managed by USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), and Forest Service (FS). Additional
resource information for landusers can be found on the NRCS web site
at www.nrcs.usda.gov,
or the Division of Natural Resources site at
www.state.in.us/dnr/.
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Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP) |
| The Conservation Reserve
Program offers long term rental payments and cost share assistance
to establish permanent vegetative cover on cropland that is highly
erodible or contributing serious water quality problem. Through
approved contract bids to convert eligible land to permanent cover,
farm owners or operators receive annual rental payments at a rate
not to exceed prevailing local rental rate per acre of comparable
land. Acreage offered for enrollment is evaluated for environmental
benefits and contract costs to determine which offers are accepted
into the program. The acreage most likely to be accepted is
generally land that provides the highest environmental benefits for
the lowest cost. Rental payments may be provided up to 15 years for
hardwood trees, wildlife corridors, windbreaks, or shelterbelts;
however most payments are limited to 10 years.
The "continuous" sign-up CRP offers a
noncompetitive enrollment of the most environmentally sensitive
areas, and provides for annual rental payments and cost share for
establishing practices such as filter strips along streams, grassed
waterways, riparian buffers, field windbreaks, etc. Contact the
local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or Farm Service Agency (FSA)
office for more information on this program. |
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Emergency
Conservation Program (ECP) |
| The Emergency Conservation
Program (ECP) provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to
rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters, and for carrying
out emergency water conservation measures during periods of severe
drought. The natural disaster must create new conservation problems;
conservation problems existing before the disaster are not eligible.
Problems created would be those which, if not treated, would impair
or endanger the land, materially affect the productive capacity of
the land, represent unusual damage, or be so costly to repair that
Federal assistance would be required to return the land to
productive agricultural use.
Contact the local Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD), USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) or Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for more
information on this program. |
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Emergency
Watershed Protection Program (EWP) |
| The Emergency Watershed
Protection (EWP) program is designed to reduce threats to life and
property in the wake of natural disasters. Technical and
cost-sharing assistance is provided. Assistance includes
establishing vegetative cover, installing streambank protection
devices, and removing debris and sediment. EWP provides protection
in subsequent storms. |
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Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) |
| The Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP) was established in the 1996 Farm Bill, to
provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers who face
serious threats to soil, water, and related natural resources. EQIP
offers financial, educational and technical help to install or
implement structural, vegetative, and management practices called
for in 5- to 10-year contracts. Cost sharing may be up to 75 percent
of the costs of certain conservation practices. Eligibility is
limited to persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural
production. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland,
forestland, and other farm or ranch lands where the program is
delivered. For more information on this program, contact your local
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), IDNR Division of
Soil Conservation or SWCD office. |
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Forest Incentive
Program (FIP) |
| The Forestry Incentives
Program (FIP) supports good forest management practices on privately
owned, non-industrial forest lands nationwide. The objective of the
program is to increase the Nation's supply of timber products for
the future. Eligible practices are tree planting, timber stand
improvement, and site preparation for natural regeneration. Cost
share is available for up to 50 percent of the cost of practice
installation. Contact the IDNR Forester, SWCD or USDA - NRCS for
more information about this program. |
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Wetlands Reserve
Program (WRP) |
| The Wetlands Reserve
Program (WRP) is a voluntary program to restore wetlands. Landowners
who choose to participate in WRP may sell a conservation easement or
enter into a cost-share restoration agreement with USDA to restore
and protect wetlands. The landowner voluntarily limits future use of
land, yet retains private ownership. The program offers landowners
three options: permanent easements, 30 year easements, and
restoration cost-share agreements of a minimum 10-year duration. To
be eligible, the landowner must have owned the land for one year,
and the land must be restorable and be suitable for wildlife
benefits. Contact the local SWCD or USDA-NRCS about this program. |
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WIldlife Habitate
Incentives Program (WHIP) |
| The Wildlife Habitat
Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for people who want
to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private lands.
It provides technical assistance and up to 75 percent cost-share
payments to help establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat
through implementation of practices such as establishment of
conservation cover; tree/shrub plantings; riparian forest buffer
establishment; livestock exclusion and others. Contact the IDNR
Wildlife Biologist, SWCD or the USDA-NRCS for more information. |
