CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP) Program Description

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), managed by the USDA Farm Service Agency, pays agricultural producers to remove environmentally sensitive land from production to improve soil, water, and wildlife resources. The program has significant climate mitigation goals, with an estimated annual reduction of 12 million metric tons of CO2e as of April 2021. Enrollment is capped by the 2018 Farm Bill, reaching a limit of 27 million acres for FY 2023.

• The USDA estimated in April 2021 that land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). To further mitigate climate change, the USDA introduced new climate-friendly incentives and increased payment rates in April 2021, aiming to enroll an additional four million acres to reduce emissions by another three million metric tons of CO2e per year. Additionally, a $10 million initiative was launched to monitor and measure the climate benefits of the program.
• The 2018 Farm Bill established specific annual limits on the total acreage that can be enrolled in the CRP: 24 million acres for fiscal year (FY) 2019, 24.5 million for FY 2020, 25 million for FY 2021, 25.5 million for FY 2022, and 27 million for FY 2023.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2023). CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP) Program Description. https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Conservation-Reserve-Program-CRP.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP) Program Description. 2023. https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Conservation-Reserve-Program-CRP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP) Program Description |date=31 July 2023 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Conservation-Reserve-Program-CRP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2023conservation, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP) Program Description}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Conservation-Reserve-Program-CRP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }