Primary Contact Email: DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us
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Presentation and discussion related to the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
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SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
From the Washington Conservation Commission Website:
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) engages farmland owners as partners in restoring salmon habitat.
Farmers are compensated for voluntarily planting native vegetation along salmon-bearing streams, rather than crops. Vegetation forms a buffer between agricultural land and salmon streams, keeping water clean and cool for salmon. Riparian buffers are preserved under 10-15-year renewable contracts.
Project costs are paid for by the program. The program also provides oversight and maintenance for five years after planting to ensure that trees and vegetation grow healthy and strong.
are paid rent for the acreage they restore, and they receive a monetary bonus for enrolling in the program. This makes CREP a win-win for Washington farms and fish.
CREP is a voluntary program administered at the federal-level by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), at the state-level by the State Conservation Commission (SCC), and at the local level by conservation districts.
From the Council Office:
For information on recent developments related to the CREP, please see attached letter from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to producers.