Conservation Acreage Increased Slightly Over Last Year, Still Near Its Lowest Level

The Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP, established by Congress in 1985, provides an annual payment to farmers who commit to taking environmentally sensitive land out of agricultural production and planting species that improve the health and quality of the environment.

According to data from USDA’s Economic Research Service, CRP enrollment fluctuated around 33 million acres nationally, but in 2021 fell to its lowest level in three decades. By the end of 2022, land enrolled in the program increased to 22 million acres after the previous year’s drop.

In the 2014 Farm Bill, Congress limited the number of acres allowed into the program.


Source: investigatemidwest.org

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