Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), including tree planting practices
馃嚭馃嚫 United States 路 USDA Farm Service Agency
Annual rental payments for 10 to 15 years plus cost share of up to 50% to establish trees, riparian buffers or other cover on eligible cropland
CRP pays farmers and landowners to take environmentally sensitive cropland out of production and plant long-term cover such as native grasses, trees and riparian buffers. Participants receive annual rental payments based on soil productivity and county cash rents, and FSA shares up to half the cost of establishing the cover. Continuous CRP lets land go in without competitive ranking for high-priority practices like riparian forest buffers.
Who qualifies
Agricultural producers and landowners with environmentally sensitive land that meets cropping-history and environmental criteria and shows significant environmental benefit. Enrollment type (general, continuous, grassland, CREP) determines the exact rules.
How to apply
Submit an offer at your local FSA office (find it at fsa.usda.gov). For FY2026, General CRP signup closed April 17, 2026 and Continuous CRP closed May 1, 2026; Grassland CRP ran May 4 to May 29, 2026. Continuous offers are accepted first-come, first-served subject to acres available and USDA cannot guarantee acceptance.
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