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USDA Programs |
Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP)
The Conservation Reserve Program reduces
soil erosion, protects the Nation's ability to produce food
and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes,
improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat, and
enhances forest and wetland resources. It encourages farmers
to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally
sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or
native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or
riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment
for the term of the multi-year contract. Cost sharing is
provided to establish the vegetative cover practices. |
Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP)
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program is a joint program between the state of Illinois and
the USDA to address environmental problems within the
Illinois River watershed. The goals of the program are to
reduce sedimentation and nutrients in the Illinois River and
increase populations of waterfowl and native fish and
mussels. The program provides additional incentives for
farmers to enroll environmentally sensitive land in the
Conservation Reserve program (CRP)
To be eligible for the CREP program, you
must be eligible to be enrolled in the continuous CRP
Program. It must be cropland that has been cropped 2 out of
the last 5 years. For Kane and DuPage Counties, land must be
located in the Lower Fox River Watershed which includes
Blackberry, Big Rock-Welch, Ferson-Otter, Indian, Little
Rock, Mill, and Waubonsee Creeks.
Land must meet eligibility requirements as
either Highly Erodible Land or Riparian Buffer. Land
eligible as Highly Erodible Land must be adjacent to a
stream and may be devoted to permanent native grasses, tree
planting, or permanent wildlife habitat. Land eligible as
frequently flooded land, farmed wetlands, and prior
converted wetlands may be devoted to shallow water areas for
wildlife, wildlife food plots, filter strips, riparian
buffers, or wetland restoration. Most of the area to be
enrolled will be limited to the land within the 100 year
floodplain and associated buffer zone.
Participants in the Illinois CREP program
will receive a 30% increase above the annual per acre rental
rate for enrollment of riparian buffers, filter strips, and
wetland restoration or a 20% increase for erodible areas.
The Federal Government will pay 50% of the cost of
establishing the new vegetative cover and provide $5 an acre
for annual maintenance costs.
In addition, landowners who wish to extend
their CREP contracts beyond the 15 year federal contract
will be offered additional incentives by the State
Government. Participants will be offered 15 year, 35 year,
or permanent easement options. Those opting for a permanent
easement will receive reimbursement of the remaining 50% of
costs to establish vegetative practices and a lump sum
payment equal to the CRP maximum annual payment times 15
times 30% per acre. Landowners choosing 15 or 35 year
easements will receive reimbursement of 40% of the remaining
costs to establish practices and 50% or 75% respectively of
the lump sum payment for the permanent easement. In
addition, those installing filter strips may be eligible for
a reduction in property taxes.
The landowners must agree to keep the
conservation practices in place for the duration of the
easement. There will be no development allowed on the
property. The easement does not allow for the right of
public access to the property and the landowner retains
rights to use the property for undeveloped recreational
uses, including hunting and fishing.
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides
technical, educational, and financial assistance to eligible
farmers and ranchers to address soil, water, and related
natural resource concerns on their lands in an
environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The
program provides assistance to farmers and ranchers in
complying with Federal, State, and tribal environmental
laws, and encourages environmental enhancement. The program
is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation. The
purposes of the program are achieved through the
implementation of a conservation plan which includes
structural, vegetative, and land management practices on
eligible land. Five- to ten-year contracts are made with
eligible producers. Cost-share payments may be made to
implement one or more eligible structural or vegetative
practices, such as animal waste management facilities,
terraces, filter strips, tree planting, and permanent
wildlife habitat. Incentive payments can be made to
implement one or more land management practices, such as
nutrient management, pest management, and grazing land
management.
Fifty percent of the funding available for
the program will be targeted at natural resource concerns
relating to livestock production. The program is carried-out
primarily in priority areas that may be watersheds, regions,
or multi-state areas, and for significant statewide natural
resource concerns that are outside of geographic priority
areas.
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Forestry
Incentives Program (FIP)
The Forestry Incentives Program (FIP)
supports good forest management practices on privately owned,
non-industrial forest lands nationwide. FIP is designed to
benefit the environment while meeting future demands for wood
products. Eligible practices are tree planting, timber stand
improvement, site preparation for natural regeneration, and
other related activities. FIP is available in counties
designated by a Forest Service survey of eligible private timber
acreage. |
Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP)
The Stewardship Incentive
Program provides technical and financial assistance to
encourage non-industrial private forest landowners to keep
their lands and natural resources productive and healthy.
Qualifying land includes rural lands with existing tree
cover or land suitable for growing trees and which is owned
by a private individual, group, association, corporation,
Indian tribe, or other legal private entity. Eligible
landowners must have an approved Forest Stewardship Plan and
own 1,000 or fewer acres of qualifying land. Authorizations
may be obtained for exceptions of up to 5,000 acres. |
Wetlands
Reserve Program (WRP)
The Wetlands Reserve Program
is a voluntary program to restore wetlands. Participating
landowners can establish conservation easements of either
permanent or 30-year duration, or can enter into restoration
cost-share agreements where no easement is involved. In
exchange for establishing a permanent easement, the
landowner receives payment up to the agricultural value of
the land and 100 percent of the restoration costs for
restoring the wetlands. The 30-year easement payment is 75
percent of what would be provided for a permanent easement
on the same site and 75 percent of the restoration cost. The
voluntary agreements are for a minimum 10-year duration and
provide for 75 percent of the cost of restoring the involved
wetlands. Easements and restoration cost-share agreements
establish wetland protection and restoration as the primary
land use for the duration of the easement or agreement. In
all instances, landowners continue to control access to
their land. |
Wildlife
Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
The Wildlife Habitat
Incentives Program provides financial incentives to develop
habitat for fish and wildlife on private lands. Participants
agree to implement a wildlife habitat development plan and
USDA agrees to provide cost-share assistance for the initial
implementation of wildlife habitat development practices.
USDA and program participants enter into a cost-share
agreement for wildlife habitat development. This agreement
generally lasts a minimum of 10 years from the date that the
contract is signed. |
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SWCD and Conservation 2000 Programs |
►Conservation Practices Program (CPP)
Each fiscal year the SWCD has cost-share funds available
for various conservation practices. Practices included in
the program are Filter Strips, Field Border Strips, Grassed
Waterways, Critical Area Plantings, No-Till, Terraces, and
Grade Stabilization Structures. A new CPP-Special Project
cost share program is now available for practices not on
the state-wide docket in order to meet local natural
resource priorities. Examples of potential pilot
projects include, but are not limited to: stream
crossings, shelterbelts, windbreaks, ecologically
sensitive area protection - karst, urban gully
restoration, retention pond buffers, rain gardens,
shoreline stabilization, and heavy livestock use area
protection. The applications needed for this type of
project include the CPP ESC-1 form and also SP1 and 2.Contract sign-up is typically in July at
the beginning of the SWCD fiscal year, although notification
of your interest in the program can be discussed at any time
of year. The SWCD board of directors will prioritize the
applications received based on tons of soil saved, acres
benefited, cost per acre of practice, and cost per ton of
soil saved. Practices must be installed in the Fall or
Spring of that Fiscal year.
To be eligible, landowners need to have a
conservation plan approved by the SWCD. To receive cost
share, the land upon which the landuser intends to install
the practice must be experiencing sheet and rill erosion
exceeding T (tolerable levels) or ephemeral/gully erosion.
CPP funds are available through the
Conservation 2000 legislation to help landowners achieve the
T by 2000 goals set by the state of Illinois. Achieving
tolerable soil loss levels on cropland will assure
productive agricultural lands for the future as well as help
improve water quality.
Application Forms:
Please contact the SWCD for assistance in filling out the
application.
Special Projects Application Form Deadline 9/15/09
CPP
Application Form Call to inquire if funds are
available
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►Tax Incentive Filter Strip
Program
As an incentive for installing protective vegetative
filter strips on land adjacent to surface or ground water
sources, landowners may receive a reduced property tax
assessment of 1/6th of its value as cropland. Landowners can
expect to save about $1 to $25 per acres in taxes depending
on soils and local tax rates. Vegetative filter strip design
and certification assistance is available from the Soil and
Water Conservation District office. |
►Streambank Stabilization & Restoration Program (SSRP)
Streambank erosion is a
natural wearing away of soil and rock that forms
streambanks. This natural process has been accelerated by
activities that increase drainage water flow and water
velocity, including stream channelization and straightening,
removal of streamside vegetation, and construction of
impervious surfaces. Streambank erosion, a major source of
sediment buildup in bodies of water, threatens soil, water,
plant and animal resources. It decreases the depth and
holding capacity of lakes and reservoirs and reduces stream
channel capacity, which increases the likelihood of flooding
and additional streambank erosion. Excessive flooding
degrades water quality and damages fish and wildlife
habitat.The streambank stabilization
and restoration program is designed to demonstrate
effective, inexpensive vegetative and bio-engineering
techniques for limiting streambank erosion. Program monies
fund demonstration projects at suitable locations statewide
and provide cost-share assistance to landowners with
severely eroding streambanks.
The Illinois Department of
Agriculture, Illinois' Soil and Water Conservation Districts
(SWCDs) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (NRCS) serve as partners
in implementing the program.
Eligibility:
Both cost-share
assistance and demonstration project funding require sites meet
assessment and selection criteria established for successful
streambank stabilization using vegetative or other
bio-engineering techniques. Program funds may be used for labor,
equipment and materials. Proposals must be sponsored by the
local SWCD. An independent committee selects grant recipients in
the fall of the year. Recipients of cost-share and demonstration
project funding must agree to maintain streambank stabilization
practices for at least 10 years.
Application Forms:
Please contact
the SWCD for assistance in filling out the application.
FORM SSRP-1 STREAMBANK STABILIZATION & RESTORATION PRACTICE
FORM SSRP-2 STREAMBANK STABILIZATION & RESTORATION PROGRAM APPLICATION WORKSHEET
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