1. FARM SERVICE AGENCY Conservation Reserve Program Conservation Reserve Program

2. OVERVIEW Goals Goals History History Agencies involved with CRP Agencies involved with CRP Eligibility Criteria Eligibility Criteria Compliance & Eligibility Roles Compliance & Eligibility Roles Getting ready for next signup Getting ready for next signup Where we are today Where we are today

3. CRP GOALS Conserve and improve our nations natural resource base Conserve and improve our nations natural resource base Protect soil, water, and wildlife resources Protect soil, water, and wildlife resources Improve and preserve water quality Improve and preserve water quality Enhance fish and wildlife habitat Enhance fish and wildlife habitat Increase enrollment in high priority continuous practices Increase enrollment in high priority continuous practices

4. CRP HISTORY Conceived originally as a Land Idling, Acreage Reduction, Soil Conservation Program Conceived originally as a Land Idling, Acreage Reduction, Soil Conservation Program Concept began during the Soil Bank ERA Concept began during the Soil Bank ERA Re-established by Congress in 1985 Re-established by Congress in 1985 Now, the nations largest, premier program for protecting natural resources and enhancing our environment Now, the nations largest, premier program for protecting natural resources and enhancing our environment Offers annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to eligible producers that establish perennial covers to: Offers annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to eligible producers that establish perennial covers to: - reduce soil erosion - reduce soil erosion - improve water quality - improve water quality - enhance wildlife habitat - enhance wildlife habitat

5. AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH CRP State and Federal Agencies: State and Federal Agencies: 1. Kansas Conservation Commission 2. Conservation Districts 3. Forest Service 4. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

6. FSA/NRCS ROLE IN CRP FSA has administrative responsibility for CRP FSA has administrative responsibility for CRP State Committee supervises the county committee State Committee supervises the county committee County Committee supervises county offices of day to day operations County Committee supervises county offices of day to day operations NRCS provides technical support for CRP NRCS provides technical support for CRP Conservation planning Conservation planning Technical specifications for practice installation Technical specifications for practice installation Evaluating soil payment rates Evaluating soil payment rates Cost-Share policies Cost-Share policies And other requirements And other requirements

7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF OTHER AGENCIES Technical Support Provider (TSP) assist county offices in technical aspects such as: Technical Support Provider (TSP) assist county offices in technical aspects such as: Identifying soil types for calculating maximum payment rates for continuous signup Identifying soil types for calculating maximum payment rates for continuous signup Developing and certifying an approved conservation plan Developing and certifying an approved conservation plan Forest Service through the TSP develops the tree planting plans Forest Service through the TSP develops the tree planting plans Conservation Districts approve conservation plans Conservation Districts approve conservation plans Conservation Commission Conservation Commission Extension Service – Information & Education Extension Service – Information & Education

8. OVERVIEW ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Producer Eligibility Producer Eligibility Land Eligibility Land Eligibility Practice Eligibility Practice Eligibility

9. PRODUCER ELIGIBILITY General General Own land 12 months before the close of signup for general signup offers Own land 12 months before the close of signup for general signup offers Acquired the land by will or succession Acquired the land by will or succession Acquired the land under circumstances other than for placement in CRP, as determined by DAFP Acquired the land under circumstances other than for placement in CRP, as determined by DAFP Continuous Continuous Producer eligibility requirements are the same as general Owned land for 12 months before submitting the offer

10. LAND ELIGIBILITY CROPLAND General General Planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity during 4 of the 6 crop years from 1996 through 2001 Planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity during 4 of the 6 crop years from 1996 through 2001 Physically & legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity, as determined by COC Physically & legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity, as determined by COC Continuous Continuous Has to meet the general requirements Exception: The land that is enrolled in CRP as marginal pastureland does not have to meet the definition of cropland

11. LAND ELIGIBILITY Cont. General General Erodibility Erodibility Expiring CRP Expiring CRP Conservation Priority Areas (CPA) Conservation Priority Areas (CPA) WBP Acres WBP Acres Continuous Continuous Practice offered is eligible practice for continuous Practice and acreage offered meet the program policy and size requirements for the practice

12. PRACTICE ELIGIBILITY -General and Continuous Signups- It must meet the purpose for the practice spelled out in the practice specifications It must meet the purpose for the practice spelled out in the practice specifications Example: CP21 Filter Strips; the purpose for this practice is to remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides, and other pollutants from surface runoff and subsurface flow. Example: CP21 Filter Strips; the purpose for this practice is to remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides, and other pollutants from surface runoff and subsurface flow. Installing this practice in situations where the balance of the field is seeded to perennial cover would not meet the purpose of this practice.

13. COMPLIANCE & ELIGIBILITY ROLES Complianceagree to terms and conditions of contracts Complianceagree to terms and conditions of contracts Eligibility requirements must be met in order to qualify for U.S.D.A. programs Eligibility requirements must be met in order to qualify for U.S.D.A. programs

14. COMPLIANCE & ELIGIBILITY ROLES Cont. Eligibility requirements include: Eligibility requirements include: Adjusted gross income Adjusted gross income Payment Limitation Payment Limitation Person determination Person determination Actively engaged determination Actively engaged determination Conservation Compliance Conservation Compliance Highly Erodable Land Compliance (HELC) Highly Erodable Land Compliance (HELC) Wetland Compliance (WC) Wetland Compliance (WC) All other programs All other programs

15. GETTING READY FOR NEXT GENERAL SIGNUP The next sign up will be in 2004 The next sign up will be in 2004 CPA Review CPA Review County cropland limitation County cropland limitation Soil rental rate review Soil rental rate review

16. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS INDEX Applies only to General Signups Applies only to General Signups Offers for CRP sign-up 29 will be ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) Offers for CRP sign-up 29 will be ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) FSA collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered FSA collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered EBI rankings are unique for each piece of ground offered into CRP EBI rankings are unique for each piece of ground offered into CRP Each offer is assigned a point score based on its relative environmental factors and competes with all other offers Each offer is assigned a point score based on its relative environmental factors and competes with all other offers

17. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS INDEX Cont. EBI factors EBI factors 1. Wildlife 2. Water Quality 3. Erosion 4. Enduring Benefits 5. Air Quality 6. Cost

18. CCRP SIGNUP ContinuousSignup 28Began 10/1/03 ContinuousSignup 28Began 10/1/03 High Priority Practicessmall acreage High Priority Practicessmall acreage --significant Environmental --significant Environmental Benefits Benefits Water Quality Water Quality IncentivesSIP, PIP, 20%-10% IncentivesSIP, PIP, 20%-10% Partner with governors Water Quality Initiative bufferKS Conservation Commission Partner with governors Water Quality Initiative bufferKS Conservation Commission

19. CCRP STATUS KANSAS TOTALS Continuous Grass Buffer Strips 5,074 acres Continuous Grass Buffer Strips 5,074 acres Filter Strip Buffers 22,088 acres Filter Strip Buffers 22,088 acres Riparian Buffers 4,329 acres Riparian Buffers 4,329 acres Grass Waterways 6,617 acres Grass Waterways 6,617 acres

20. WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN KANSAS There are currently There are currently 2,842,179.5 acres enrolled 2,842,179.5 acres enrolled 40,569 contracts 40,569 contracts Practices Practices General Signup CP1 & CP2 General Signup CP1 & CP2 More & more focus on continuous signup More & more focus on continuous signup

21. Any Questions?