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Progress Toward Two Million-Mile Buffer Goal

About 28,000 acres of buffers were added during February through the continuous Conservation Reserve Program sign-up.  Numbers in the other four program categories are through the end of fiscal year 2003 (September 30, 2003).

Program Miles of Buffers Acres of Buffers
Technical Assistance Only 216,467 779,280
Cost-share 193,263 695,746
Wetlands Reserve Program* 29,552 106,386
General CRP** 333,783 1,201,619
Continuous CRP/CREP 767,604 2,763,375
Totals 1,540,669 5,546,406

* Prior to fiscal year 2001, a 20 percent credit was taken for acres under easement in the courthouse. Thereafter, actual buffer installations will be reported through the NRCS Performance Results Measurement System.

** Prior to fiscal year 2001, a 4 percent credit was taken for acres enrolled adjacent to water and producing significant environmental benefits. Thereafter, actual buffer installations will be reported through the NRCS Performance Results Measurement System.

Links...
Buffer Strips: Common Sense Conservation
Note to Producers: Conservation Buffers Still Work Economically and Environmentally (full-color version)
Note to Producers: Conservation Buffers Still Work Economically and Environmentally (black-and-white version)

Contact: Max Schnepf, Coordinator, USDA National Conservation Buffer Initiative and NRCS Public Affairs Liaison, phone: 515-289-2331, x15, max.schnepf@swcs.org.