USDA announced today it will expand the Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative, called CLEAR30, from a pilot program to a nationwide program. Landowners and agricultural producers currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will now have a wider opportunity to enroll in a 30-year contract via CLEAR30. Previously, the pilot was only available in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay water sheds.
“Eligible producers must have certain water quality benefitting practices currently enrolled under continuous CRP or through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), under contracts that are expiring on Sept. 30, 2021,” USDA said in a release. Those interested in enrolling should do so by Aug. 6, 2021.
The program provides incentives to those enrolled who make 30-year commitments to water quality practices on CRP land. “Annual rental payments for landowners who enroll in CLEAR30 will be equal to the current Continuous CRP annual payment rate plus a 20% water quality incentive and annual rate adjustment of 27.5%,” USDA details. Learn more.