Do you own land in agricultural production that is not very productive?
Want to receive payments for some of this land?
Need help paying for and installing necessary grazing infrastructure?
If you answered “Yes!” to either or both of those statements, consider enrolling in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)! CREP takes agricultural land that is located along waterways and is currently in perennial or annual crops out of production to plant riparian forest buffers. Landowners receive an up-front incentive payment as well as annual rental payments for the 15-year duration of the contract. The costs of the project are also nearly always covered at 100% by the FSA, Partners for Fish & Wildlife, and CREP.
In most counties, the cropland and permanent hay/pasture annual rental rates have recently increased, so now is a great time to look into the program!!
Photo caption: CREP can help install projects such as the riparian buffer planting, stream crossing, and fence shown here. As part of the pictured project CREP also installed a pipe and watering system to reduce the need for pastured livestock to drink from this stream.
For more information and to find out if you qualify, contact Ben Gabos 802.461.3814 or ben.gabos@vermont.gov) or Phillip Wilson 802.505.5378 or phillip.wilson@vermont.gov).