The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is funded at a record high in this year’s budget and Virginia farmers can now implement buffers and wetland restoration at no cost, an FSA release said.

The program is a partnership between the Farm Service Agency and Virginia that aims to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. It offers financial incentives, cost-share, and rental payments to farmers and landowners who voluntarily implement riparian forest buffers, grass and shrub buffers, and wetland restoration.

“There has never been a better time for producers to participate in CREP,” said Dr. Ronald M. Howell Jr., FSA State Executive Director in Virginia. “It costs nothing for farmers to participate in this program now, which will provide their farms with ongoing revenue and other financial benefits. At the same time, the CREP practices promote richer, more fertile farmland and healthier livestock. It is a true win-win.”

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