Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

How it works

The Soil and Water Conservation Department says staff work with landowners to implement best management practices on their land. CREP is described as a joint effort between the federal, state, and county governments to complement working agriculture and protect Wisconsin’s soils and water resources.

What the money covers

CREP pays participants for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and introducing conservation practices. The page says participants are paid:

• An annual rental rate
• Other federal and state incentives, as applicable under each CREP agreement

Amounts and matching

The page does not give a dollar cap or a percentage match. It says payment is an annual rental rate with additional incentives as applicable per agreement.

How it works

CREP targets high-priority conservation issues identified by local, state, or tribal governments or non-governmental organizations. The program is an offshoot of the Conservation Reserve Program, described as the country’s largest private-land conservation program.

Timing and deadlines

Participation is voluntary, and the contract period is typically 10–15 years.

How to apply

The page does not give a formal application process. It provides the county conservation department as the local contact point for conservation programs.