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This pilot is available to farmers and
landowners with expiring water-quality practice CRP contracts in
the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay regions. The program signup
period is July 6 to Aug. 21, 2020.
The pilot is available in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland,
Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
West Virginia and Wisconsin. Eligible producers must have
expiring Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) initiative
contracts, including continuous CRP Cropland contracts with
water-quality practices or marginal pasturelands CRP contracts
devoted to riparian buffers, wildlife habitat buffers or wetland
buffers.
The longer contracts will help ensure that practices remain in
place for 30 years, which will help reduce sediment and nutrient
runoff and help prevent algal blooms. Traditional CRP contracts
run from 10 to 15 years.
Annual rental payment for landowners who enroll in CLEAR30 will
be equal to the current Continuous CRP annual payment rate plus
an inflationary adjustment of 27.5 percent, since CLEAR30
contracts will be for 30 years – much longer than the 10 to
15-year contracts for Continuous CRP offers.
Another unique program feature is that FSA will help producers
maintain CLEAR30 contract acreage.
USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment
only, and field work will continue with appropriate social
distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come
into the office, they will be working with producers by phone
and using online tools whenever possible. Anyone wishing to
conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation
Service or any other Service Center agency is required to call
to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found
at farmers.gov/coronavirus.
[USDA Farm Service Agency]
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