CRP Lan d :I t ’s in

your hands

N I U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

N I N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E S C O N S E R V A T I O N S E R V I C E

By October 2009, contracts includ-ing more than one million acres ofIowa CRP ground will expire.Nearly half of these will expire byOctober 2007.

There is an option for some ofthese contract to be renewed orextended, but much of it may comeout of CRP. Producers may alsoconsider re-enrolling or extendingonly part of their CRP contract. Inany case, whether land is re-enrolled in CRP or converted toother uses, the care of naturalresources is in your hands.

Possible land use choices for yourland coming out of CRP include:• Re-enrollment• Contract extension• Crops• Pasture• Wildlife habitat• Organic farming • Biomass fuel production

Hopefully you consider a combi-nation of land uses—maximizingthe diversity of the landscape andmaking the best use of the land’scapabilities.

CRP acres in Iowa

CRP Acres to Expire by Fiscal Year 2009Total of 1.15 million acres

1

Source: USDA-FSA

CRP is considered cropland,however not all cropland is cre-ated equal in terms of erosionand yield potential. In fact, manyof the acres in CRP may be bestsuited to other land uses such asgrassland, hay, pasture andwildlife habitat.

Steeper portions of CRP landmay be best suited to stay inCRP or used for pasture and hay-land with some renovation andinvestment. Lower yielding areaswhere you may have plantedtrees or shrubs could continueto provide excellent wildlifehabitat and add diversity to yourfarm.

Land coming out of CRP alsopresents a unique opportunity tobe certified for organic farmingproduction.

It’s a good idea to take a lookat your soils and consider theseland use alternatives before mak-ing any decisions.

More than likely the decisionyou make will depend on a vari-ety of factors:• Personal goals and interests

• Profitability

• Soil types

• Rental rates

• Family situations

Your choices will impact thelocal economy, landscape andenvironment. Review the textbelow to quickly compare differ-ent land use alternatives.

On the next several pages youcan review more details aboutthese options and land use alter-natives available to you. In thisbrochure we look at the follow-ing options on the same 120-acretract:• All in CRP, page 5

• All in cropland, page 6.

• All in pasture, page 7

• Mixture of cropland,pasture or CRP, page 8.

This brochure examines theseissues from several perspectives:

• Producer/Tenant

• Local landowner

• Absentee landowner

Use this brochure to explorethe options on our 120-acre CRPcontract. Learn more about theconsiderations of each land useso you can match your goalswith the needs of the landscape.

Alternatives to Cropping CRP Land—Maximizing Diversity

2

Option 1: CRP, Page 5This option considers the impacts ofenrolling the entire tract into CRP. Thisoption is dependent on your EBI score. Itcan provide excellent erosion control, soilquality enhancement, water qualityimprovements and wildlife habitat. Thebenefits generated by this option aredirectly related to your management planand how well you implement it. Landownerincome is about $11,400, or more if leasedfor fee-hunting. This land wouldn’t be eligi-ble for the Conservation Security Program.

Option 2: Cropland, Page 6This option considers the impacts of usingthe entire tract for row crop production. Itposes the greatest risks to soil quality,water quality and wildlife. Conservationpractices, from terraces to no-till, will berequired to meet compliance. Based oncrop budgets and soil types, the tenantwould lose an average of $5.60 an acre.The landowner would receive $120 peracre in rent—or $14,400. Because of thesoil losses with this option, it will be diffi-cult to make it all eligible for CSP.

Option 3: Pasture, Page 7This option considers the impacts of usingthe entire tract for pasture. If properly man-aged, it provides excellent benefits for soilquality, water quality and wildlife.Rotational grazing is the best system, eco-nomically and environmentally. But it wouldlikely require some up-front, set-up costsfor fencing and water. Grazing systems ontypical lower producing CRP soils showmore profit potential than row-crop pro-duction. If basic requirements are met,these acres could qualify for CSP.

Option 4: Diversity, Page 8This option combines row-crop productionwith CRP and/or pasture. It focuses atten-tion on using the best soils for crop pro-duction and using the lower yielding soilsfor permanent cover—either CRP, pasture,hay or even biomass production. Thisoption results in the most profit for the ten-ant, because crop production is limited tothe most productive soils. Tenant income isestimated at $1,508. Landowner incomeranges between $13,050 and $14,178depending on land use choice.

Our CRP contract consists of120 acres, which is outlined inyellow on the map to the right.The contract is set to expire in2007.The CRP contract is cur-rently worth $91/acre or nearly$11,000 per year.

The farm has a road for theeast boundary and part of thenorth boundary.The remainingnorth boundary is a drainageway beginning in the northeastpart of the farm and running tothe west.

Tree-lined fences mark thesouth and west boundaries.Thefarmstead is on the east side.Tree-lined fences, by the pond,separate the fields.There is a ter-race in the southeast corner ofthe farm above the grove of treesand drainage way.There arethree drainage ways flowingsouth in the south central por-tion of the farm.Soils InformationSoil types include floodplains,foot slopes, side hills and ridgetops.

Moderately productive Shelbysoils are located on steep sidehills.These soils have silty clayloam surface texture.

The low-yielding Adair, Lamoni,Mystic and Shelby soils are locat-

ed on the side hills. The surfacetexture is clay loam or silty clayloam.The higher clay contentsand bulk densities in the soilrestricts rooting depth causinglower crop yields

Soil quality has improved dur-ing the last 10 years of our CRPcontract. Improved soil qualityis reflected by higher organicmatter and good soil structure.These can mean higher yields,improved drainage, less runoffand better root development.

Good soil quality is also neces-sary to achieve a high SoilConditioning Index (SCI) score.High SCI scores are key forConservation Security Program(CSP) eligibility and contractpayments. No-till is needed topreserve this soil structure, CSPeligibility, and the other benefitsof a healthy soil structure.General AssumptionsWhen financially comparing ourland use options, we’ve madesome basic assumptions.1. Crop prices were set high

enough to account for theprice of the grain and theimpact of USDA payments.

2.All crop budgets eliminatedlabor and interest costs.

3. Costs and profits for croplandare an average of a two-yearcorn-soybean rotation.

4. Fixed costs were not adjustedbased on farmed acres.

5.Soils were divided into threeyield classes (Fig.3 on page 4):

High Yield:165 bu/acre corn and 48 bu/acre beans

Intermediate Yield: 138 bu/acre corn and 38 bu/acre beans

Low Yield: 100 bu/acre corn and 30 bu/acre beans

6. New CRP rental rate for theentire farm is assumed to be$95/acre.We also assumed acropland cash rental rate forthe whole farm at $120.Weincreased the cropland cashrental rate for our diverseoption to $150.This is becauseonly the most productive soilsare cropped, maximizingreturn for the tenant.

About Our Current CRP Contract120 acres

3

Fig. 3: Crop Yields

Fig 2: Corn Suitability Rating

Fig. 1: Erosion Risk

LegendAverage YieldsGreen—High165 bu/acre corn48 bu/acre beans(64 acres)Yellow—Intermediate138 bu/acre corn38 bu/acre beans(5 acres)Red—Low100 bu/acre corn30 bu/acre beans(51 acres)

Legend

Green—Lower risk

Yellow—Moderate risk

Red—High risk

Legend

Green—61-100Well suited for cropproduction

Yellow—36 - 60Moderately suitedfor crop production

Red—0-35Poorly suited forcrop production

These maps indicate threecharacteristics based on soiltypes. Each of these characteris-tics--erosion risk, corn suitabilityrating, and corn yield---indicatethe productivity and erosivenessof the soils on our CRP contractarea.

The green areas indicate thehighest producing areas (general-ly the ridge tops and bottomlands) while the red areas are thepoorest producing and most ero-sive soils (generally the steep sidehills).

Before finalizing your land usedecisions for expiring CRPground, you might want to con-sider evaluating these same char-acteristics for your farm. It willalso help you determine fair cash

rental rates for your crop ground.If you need assistance generatingthese maps for your CRP con-tract, please contact your localNRCS field office.

Number Soil Name % Slope5B Colo/Ackmore 0-5

8B Judson 2-5

24E2 Shelby 14-18

93D2 Shelby/Adair 9-14

286B Co l o / Ju d s o n / 0 - 5Nod away

370D2 Sharpsburg 9-14

430 Ackmore 0-2

470D2 Lamoni/Shelby 9-14

570C2 Nira 5-9

570D2 Nira 9-14

592D2 Mystic 9-14

822C2 Lamoni 5-9

822D2 Lamoni 9-14

Corn Suitability Ratings provide a relative ranking of all soils mapped in Iowa based ontheir potential for intensive row crop production. The CSR is an index that can be usedto rate one soil’s potential yield production against another over a period of time.

4

This option may not be available toall producers.Availability willdepend on the EBI (EnvironmentalBenefit Index) score. Based on thisscore, some producers will beallowed to re-enroll their entirecontract or may chose to re-enrollonly a portion of their contract;others will be allowed to onlyextend the contract, or a portion ofthe contract.

This option can provide some ofthe best environmental benefits. Itpromotes good soil and water qual-ity. Soil erosion is also reduced to aminimum when CRP acres areproperly managed.

Wildlife could also benefit, espe-cially when food plots, diversegrass seedings and habitat manage-ment are included in the CRP con-tract.

The CRP option limits the pro-ducer’s flexibility to manage theland.There are restrictions onwhen and how CRP land can bemanaged and it is likely theserestrictions will continue.Other ConsiderationsRe-enrolling these acres into CRPalso idles the productive areas onthe bottomland and ridge top.Thisreduces the demand for seed, fertil-izer, fuel, fencing and other inputs.

Balance SheetCRP rental rate for the entire 120acres would be about $95/acre,generating $11,400 in totallandowner income. However,there could be additional incomefrom fee-based hunting.

If you select to manage CRPacres for wildlife, the costs associ-ated for that work need to beincluded when considering thebottom line.

There would be no tenant, sothere would be no tenant income.The MapThe map shows one option formanaging this contract area forwildlife benefits—primarily forupland birds.

If you are interested in a wildlifeplan for your CRP contract area,please visit your local NRCS fieldoffice. Plans can be developed tomeet varying degrees of manage-ment intensity—from fairly simpleto extremely intense.Considering CSPCRP acres can’t be enrolled in theConservation Security Program. Buta producer could take credit forthe environmental benefits whichresult from the CRP ground.

Option 1: CRPCRP—Managed for Wildlife

Map Legend

5

8-Row Shelter Belt

Food Plot

Warm Season Grasses

Cool Season Grasses

Riparian Forest Buffer

Option 2: CroplandOf all the options available, thisone creates the greatest risks tothe environment. Even with therequired conservation measuresinstalled to meet compliance, ero-sion rates will greatly exceedthose on CRP. This option willprovide minimal wildlife benefits.Considering ComplianceAll fields released from CRPwhich are designated as highlyerodible land (HEL) by NRCS willneed soil erosion reduced to theminimum level acceptable forcompliance.This would requireconservation practices like no-till,terraces, field borders, grassedwaterways, contour buffer strips,meadow rotations and others.

Costs for installing some ofthese practices range from $400per acre for terraces to $10 peracre for contour buffer strips.

The cost of establishing manyof the grass-based practices canbe reduced if you use the existingCRP grass stands in the new prac-tice. Additionally, many of thesepractices can be enrolled in theContinuous CRP, reducing thecosts to the landowner and pro-ducer.Balance SheetCash rental rate for the entire

tract is assumed to be $120/acre.As a result, total income for thelandowner would be $14,400.

Based on crop budgets exam-ples on page 9 and soil types, thisscenario will result in a loss of$81/acre on the poorest produc-ing 51 acres.This represents a lossof $4,131 for the tenant on theseacres.

There would be a loss of $9/acre on the five acres of soils withintermediate yield potential, for aloss of $45.

The remaining 64 acres, themost productive soils, would pro-vide a profit of $56/acre for a ten-ant income of $3,584. Overall thisresults in a net loss of $672 forthe tenant.Acres Tenant Income

51 -$4,1315 -$4564 $3,584120 -$672

The MapThis map shows this land bestmanaged for a continuous corn-soybean rotation. In addition tothe conservation practices shown,this farm would require 56 acresof no-till to remain in compliance.

Farm Managed for Cropland

Map Legend

Field Border

Grassed Waterway

Terrace

Considering CSPBecause of the soil losses cre-ated by using this land for pro-ducing row crops, it would bedifficult to make all the acres inthis option eligible for the Con-servation Security Program.

6

Option 3: PastureThe pasture option allows landowners to take advantage of theexisting forage stand.With goodmanagement, the environmentalbenefits gained with CRP can bemaintained or improved withpasture.

As with any land use changethere will likely be some costs.The current forage may need tobe improved. Many tracts willneed improved fencing.Therewill likely be other expensesrelated to providing water. Someof these expenses include con-structing farm ponds, providingcontrolled access to streams,water pipeline and connectingto rural water.

The most profitable use of pas-ture land is a rotational grazingsystem.And it also provides thebest environmental benefits.Theactual level of managementintensity will depend on the pro-ducer’s objectives.A system thatrotates livestock an average ofonce per week during the grow-ing season will provide manybenefits.The MapThe grazing system shown isdivided into eight paddocks.Thiswould allow for moving live-

stock at least once per week.A more intensive grazing sys-

tem, moving livestock twice aweek, could allow the owner toincrease the number of grazinganimals and the productivity ofthe land.T.

The system, when fully imple-mented, should provide adequateforage to graze and provide hayfor 47 beef cows and calves for9 1/2 months.The systemincludes both a cool seasongrass/legume mix and warm sea-son native grasses. Livestockwould graze corn stalks fromanother farm.Balance SheetPasture land can be a very goodeconomic land use choice, espe-cially on lower producing mar-ginal side hill soils (Shown as theyellow and red areas in Figures1, 2 and 3 on page 4). Informa-tion from actual grazing systemson typically poor producing CRPsoils, show more potential forprofit per acre than row cropproduction.

Landowners without grazinglivestock can develop rental orlease arrangements with live-stock producers to achieve a sys-tem that is beneficial to both

parties. Landowners with wildlifeand recreation as land use objec-tives can improve habitat with amanaged grazing system.Considering CSPAll the acres in this option,which meet the minimum pro-

gram eligibility requirements,could possibly receiveConservation Security Programpayments.

Farm Managed for Pasture

Map Legend

7

Livestock water access

Pond

Water tanks

Water lines

Option 4: Maximizing DiversityThis option is the best example ofgood land use planning.The key iscombining cropland with sometype of permanent cover. Itincludes a combination of crop-land, CRP and/or pasture.

The key to maximizing diversityis how you use the areas of inter-mediate and lower yielding soils.(In our CRP contract these are thered and yellow areas in Figures 1,2 and 3 on page 4.)

Your decision on how to usethese poorer producing acres onyour farm will depend less onprofitability and more on yourpersonal goals and interests.

A cattle producer might consid-er using those areas for pasture. Ifyou rent the ground, you may re-enroll the most marginal groundin CRP or rent it for pasture to alivestock producer.

The key is selecting a land usethat is most suited to the soils andfits within your goals.The MapThe map shows which areas arebest suited for crop productionand which should stay in perma-nent grass cover—based on soilcharacteristics. It also incorpo-rates features needed if using thegrass cover for grazing cattle.

Balance Sheet—This option involves cash rentingthe high yielding areas and re-enrolling the remaining acres intoCRP. Cropland rental rate isincreased to $150/acre to accountfor the increased productivity.Annual landowner income fromthese 58 acres would be $8,700.

CRP rental rates for six acres offilter strips enrolled under thecontinuous CRP would be$165/acre. General CRP rentalrates for the remaining 56 acresare reduced to $80/acre toaccount for lower value soils.

In this cropland/CRP option,total landowner income would be$14,170.

The tenant would earn an aver-age $26/acre on 56 acres.Theaverage rotation profit on highyielding soils is $56/acre, but thisis reduced in this option becauserent is increased from $120 to$150/acre.This profit would equal$1,508 total tenant income.

Cropland/CRP OptionAcres Landowner Income

6 $99056 $4,48058 $8,700

120 $14,170

Cropland and Permanent Cover

Acres Tenant Income58 $1,508

Cropland/Pasture OptionAcres Landowner Income

6 $99056 $2,520*58 $8,700

120 $13,050*rental rate set at $45/acre

Considering CSPSelecting a diverse landuse option increases yourchances for the ConservationSecurity Program. CRP acreswould not be eligible for pay-ment.

8

Map LegendLivestock water access

Pond

Riparian Forest Buffer

Permanent Vegetative Cover

Row Crop

Crop Budget SheetsNo-till Corn, Low Yielding Soils—100 bu/acre at $2.40 bu

Cost per AcrePreharvest machinery Fixed Variable Total Your CostsApply nitrogen $3.96 $3.63 $7.59Plant $4.63 $3.24 $7.87Cultivate $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Spray $0.92 $0.80 $1.72Custom Hire/Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Total per Acre $9.51 $7.67 $17.18Seed, ChemicalsSeed $34.84 $34.84cost per 1,000 kernels ($1.34)kernels per acre (26,000)

Nitrogen $36.00 $36.00price per pound ($0.30)pounds per acre (120)

Phosphate $18.15 $18.15price per pound ($0.33)pounds per acre (55)

Potash $8.10 $8.10price per pound ($0.18)pounds per acre (45)

Lime (annual cost) $6.00 $6.00Herbicide $34.70 $34.70Crop insurance $7.00 $7.00Misc. $7.00 $7.00Interest on preharvest costs $0.00 $0.00Total per Acre $151.79 $151.79Harvest MachineryCombine $12.00 $10.76 $22.76Haul $3.00 $2.57 $5.57Dry (LP $1.00/gallon) $3.00 $15.00 $18.00Handle $1.70 $0.75 $2.45Custom hire $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Total per acre $19.70 $29.08 $48.78Land/LaborOperator/Hired $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Land (Cash rent equivalent) $120.00 $120.00All costsPer acre $149.21 $188.54 $337.75Per bushel $1.49 $1.89 $3.38Gross returns per acre$240 (income) - $337.75 (total costs) = $-97.75

No-till Corn, High Yielding Soils—165 bu/acre at $2.40/bu

Cost per AcrePreharvest machinery Fixed Variable Total Your CostsApply nitrogen $3.96 $3.63 $7.59Plant $4.63 $3.24 $7.87Cultivate $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Spray $0.92 $0.80 $1.72Custom Hire/Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Total per Acre $9.51 $7.67 $17.18Seed, ChemicalsSeed $34.84 $34.84cost per 1,000 kernels ($1.34)kernels per acre (26,000)

Nitrogen $36.00 $36.00price per pound ($0.30)pounds per acre (120)

Phosphate $18.15 $18.15price per pound ($0.33)pounds per acre (55)

Potash $8.10 $8.10price per pound ($0.18)pounds per acre (45)

Lime (annual cost) $6.00 $6.00Herbicide $34.70 $34.70Crop insurance $7.00 $7.00Misc. $7.00 $7.00Interest on preharvest costs $0.00 $0.00Total per Acre $151.79 $151.79Harvest MachineryCombine $12.00 $10.76 $22.76Haul $3.00 $2.57 $5.57Dry (LP $1.00/gallon) $3.00 $15.00 $18.00Handle $1.70 $0.75 $2.45Custom hire $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Total per acre $19.70 $29.08 $48.78Land/LaborOperator/Hired $0.00 $0.00 $0.00Land (Cash rent equivalent) $120.00 $120.00All costsPer acre $149.21 $188.54 $337.75Per bushel $0.90 $1.14 $2.05Gross returns per acre$396 (income) - $337.75 (total costs) = $58.25

Blank versions of these crop budget worksheets can be found online at www.extension.ias-tate.edu/agdm. These are meant to be an example. Your costs will be different and you areencouraged to run these worksheets with your own numbers.

9

Land Use Decision ChecklistBefore deciding what to do when your landis released from CRP, it is important to con-sider several factors: soil types, past yields,commodity prices, production costs, conver-sion costs and other required investments.

To help guide you through the decisionprocess, please review the following ques-tions. Some are more general in nature.Others are specifically related to the landuse(s) you may be considering. Feel free todiscuss any of these questions or issues withthe staff at your local NRCS field office.

CRP1.What is the Environmental Benefit Index

score on the acres in your CRP contract?

2.Will you be offered a contract extension orrenewal?

3.How many years will your contract beextended?

4. What is your current CRP rental rate?

5. What is your new CRP rental rate?

6.What improvements will be needed if theland remains in CRP? (i.e.—improvedseeding, tree and brush removal, mid-con-tract management, etc.)

7. Do you have a current soil test?

Cropland 1.What are your yield expectations?

2. Do you know where the more productiveand less productive soils on the farm arelocated?

3.What conservation practices will berequired for compliance?

4. Is cost-share available to help implementthese practices?

5. Do you have access to equipment requiredfor no-till?

6. Do you plan to farm or rent the groundfor cropland?

7.Would your tenant be willing to pay morefor the more productive ground?

8.Are all fields accessible?

9.Do you have a current soil test?

10. Do you plan to apply herbicide the fallbefore planting?

Pasture1. If you don’t own livestock would you con-

sider leasing the pasture to another opera-tor?

2.Would you need additional cattle to makea grazing system economical?

3. Is there an adequate source of water avail-able?

4.Would you use any of the pasture for hay?

5.What type of fencing would you use? Arecurrent fences adequate?

6. Is there a noxious weed problem (thistle)?

7.What is the current fo rage on the pro p e rt y ?

8. Is there a brush problem?

9. Do you have a current soil test?

Wildlife1. Do you plan to rent the ground for hunt-

ing?

2. Is the ground for your personal use only?

3. Do you plan to build a home on the sitesomeday? Or another shelter?

4.What type of wildlife do you want to sup-port?

5. How much of an investment are you will-ing to make?

6. Is cost-share available for some of thewildlife practices?

7.Managed grazing can enhance the area forwildlife.Would you consider allowing live-stock to graze on this area?

8.What improvements are needed to makethe land more desirable for the species ofyour choice?

9. Do you have a current soil test?

General1.Do you plan to apply for the Conservation

Security Program in the future?

2.Do you or a family member intend to man-age this farm? And do you have the timeand experience to devote to a higher levelof management?

3.Are you interested in helping a young orbeginning farmer expand his or her opera-tion with the land in your expiring CRPcontract?

10

There’s a little bit of everythingon the Allen farm in UnionCounty, Iowa.There is a little rowcrop, a few ponds, filter strips,field borders—and a lot of pas-ture for a lot of cows.

Allen farms with his wife Vickiand their son James. His opera-tion includes 100 acres of rowcrops, 500 acres of pasture andsome hay ground.Their opera-tion supports 210 cow-calf pairs.

“We really enjoy the cattle,”said Allen.“It is a lifestyle choicefor us.”

It is a lifestyle that blossomedafter the couple started farmingVicki’s family farm with hergrandfather in 1983.They bought

the farm in 1991, but didn’t startraising cattle until they sold offtheir 120 sows in 1998.

They started out with 40cows. In just seven years, theAllens have increased their herdby more than 500 percent.

To help support the herd, theAllens opt to pay back 20 per-cent of their CRP filter strip pay-ment.This allows them to usethese strips for grazing.

“Pasture is hard to come by,”he said.“I really like the stripsbecause you can graze them, but

still do your part to protectwater quality.”

In addition to filter strips, theAllens’ operation includes con-tour buffer strips and severalponds built with the help ofEnvironmental Quality IncentivesProgram (EQIP) cost-share andtechnical assistance from theNRCS. The ponds feed the pas-ture water tanks, which areinstalled on gravel pads.

The Allens also practice mini-mum and no-till for their cornand soybean ground. Pasture

seedings are minimum tilled andharrowed until smooth, to helpwith mowing and bailing.

Because of their diverse landuse choices, the Allens are verysuccessful at balancing the needsof the land with the need to sup-port their lifestyle choice.Considering CSPBased on the diversity of hisoperation and use of conserva-tion practices, Allen has a goodchance at meeting the eligibilityrequirements for theConservation Security Program.

Diversity in Practice

11

Tony Allen, of Diagonal, (below) runs adiverse operation including a cow-calfherd, 100 acres of row crops and 500 acresof pasture . His operation features severalconservation practices including CRP filterstrips and the contour buffer strips, (right),installed through EQIP.

NRCS Can Help

From financial assistancethrough the Environmental Qual-ity Incentives Program (EQIP) totechnical assistance for conserva-tion planning and practice imple-mentation, the USDA-NaturalResources Conservation Serviceis here to help you make deci-sions about your land in expiringCRP contracts.

Completing a conservationplan is an important step whenmaking your land use decisions.It will help you evaluate yourobjectives for your operation, aswell as the natural resourceissues on the land in your CRPcontract. Local NRCS certifiedplanners can help develop a planfor your expiring CRP contract.

Some of the assistance avail-able from NRCS is explainedbelow. Other federal, state and

local cost-share assistance maybe available. Contact your localoffice for more information.

Conservation TechnicalAssistancePurpose: To assist landusersplan and install resource manage-ment systems that will improveand protect natural resources.Systems: Include many differentpractices to reduce soil erosion;improve soil, water and air qual-ity; improve and restore wet-lands; enhance fish and wildlifehabitat; improve pasture andrangeland; reduce upstreamflooding; and improve wood-lands.Eligibility: All landusers mayreceive technical assistance fromthe NRCS. Landusers are encour-aged to work through their localSoil and Water Conservation Dis-trict (SWCD) to become districtcooperators.

Environmental QualityIncentives Program (EQIP)Purpose: To provide technicaland financial assistance tolandowners to develop andimplement conservation plansthat address specific naturalresource concerns.

Practices: Livestock manuremanagement, grazing land man-agement, soil erosion control,and water quality improvementpractices are eligible for cost-share statewide.Assistance forother practices is available inselected priority areas.Eligibility: Agricultural produc-ers on agricultural land are eligi-ble.

Wildlife Habitat IncentivesProgram (WHIP) Purpose: To develop orimprove fish and wildlife habitaton privately owned land throughthe application of a conservationplan.Practices: Seeding, tree andshrub plantings, fencing,instream structures and prairierestoration.Eligibility: Almost any type ofland is eligible, including agricul-tural and non-agricultural land,woodlots, pastures and stream-banks.

Technical Tools

There are many technical toolsat the NRCS website(www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov) that pro-vide valuable information you

can use during your decisionmaking process. One of thesetools, the online Web Soil Survey,( we b s o i l s u rvey. n rc s . u s d a . gov / a p p / )can help you identify the uniquecharacteristics of your operation.There are also links to informa-tion about conservation pro-grams and practices.

12

Considering BiomassAnother possible use for per-manent grass cover is biomassfuel production. Across thestate there is a growingdemand for the use of biomassfuels at coal-burning powerplants. Biomass fuel produc-tion could be incorporatedinto several of your land useoptions—including pasture.

Conservation Practice Photo Glossary

Contour buffer stripsStrips of grass or legumes in a contoured field, whichhelp trap sediment and nutrients.

FencingProtecting a stream or water source by excluding live-stock. Fencing is also a crucial tool for establishing arotational grazing system.

Field bordersA strip of grass or legumes at the edge of a field, usedin place of end rows.

Filter stripA strip of grass or legumes along a stream or body ofwater to filter sediment from runoff.

Grassed waterwayShaping and establishing grass in a natural drainage-way to prevent gullies from forming.

Forage managementProper management of forages to produce quality hayand maximize environmental benefits.

13

Native grassesEstablishing stands of native grasses provides excel-lent protection from soil erosion and is a valuablesource of wildlife habitat.

No tillLeaving last year’s crop soil surface by eliminatingtillage and using special planters.

PondA pool of water formed by a dam or pit, to supplywater for livestock, recreation and wildlife and to con-trol gully erosion.

TerraceAn earthen embankment around a hillside that stopswater flow and stores it or guides it safely off a field.

Watering systemDeveloping alternative water sources for livestock ina rotational grazing system can protect existingstreams and ponds.

Heavy use protection areaLimiting livestock access to water sources to mini-mize threats to water quality.

14

Helping People Help the Land

www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunityprovider and employer.