2008 NRCS Farm Bill Conservation Programs

Updated June 15, 2009

The conservation provisions in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) will provide conservation opportunities for farmers and ranchers for years to come. The new provisions build on the conservation gains made by farmers and ranchers through the 1985, 1996 and 2002 Farm Bills. They simplify existing programs and create new programs to address high priority environmental goals.

Conservation programs under the 2008 Farm Bill are:

• Agricultural Management Assistance Program
• Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative
• Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative
• Conservation of Private Grazing Land Program
• Conservation Reserve Program  (Farm Service Agency)
• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• Agricultural Water Enhancement Program  (EQIP)
• Conservation Innovation Grants (EQIP)
• Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
• Grassland Reserve Program
• Healthy Forest Reserve Program
• Small Watershed Rehabilitation Program
• Wetlands Reserve Program
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
   

Highlights and Announcements

June 15, 2009 - The WRP amendment is available, extending the public comment period until July 2, 2009.

June 11, 2009 - The Grassland Reserve Program Fact Sheet (PDF, 49KB) is available.

June 8, 2009 - The EQIP public comment page has been updated.

June 3, 2009 - The WRP and WHIP public comment page have been updated.

May 29, 2009 - The EQIP Public Lands Issue Amendent is now available (PDF, 56KB). The public comment period regarding the amendment subject matter, not the entire EQIP interim final rule, is extended until June 29, 2009.

May 27, 2009 -The AMA, FRPP, HFRP, Regional Equity, STC, and TSP public comment pages have been updated.

May 6, 2009 - The EQIP Fact Sheet (PDF, 48KB) is available on the Farm Bill Fact Sheet page.

April 16, 2009 -The Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative Fact Sheet (PDF, 39KB) is now available. The FRPP, GRP, TSP, WHIP, and WRP Public Comments pages have been updated.

2008 NRCS Farm Bill Documents and Additional Information

Conservation Program Documents

At-a-Glances are one-page overviews of 2008 NRCS Farm Bill conservation programs and related topics.

Fact Sheets are detailed documents about 2008 NRCS Farm Bill conservation programs.

Farm Bill Public Comments Links

Introduction to 2008 NRCS Conservation Programs Rules explains how rule-writing process works.

How to Submit Public Comments details how stakeholders and the general public can participate in the rule-making process.

Notices NRCS publishes in the Federal Register for public comment.

Proposed Rules  NRCS publishes in the Federal Register for public comment.

Interim Final Rules NRCS publishes in the Federal Register for public comment.

Public comments submitted to NRCS about the 2008 Farm Bill.

 

Additional Information

Network Effects Diagrams demonstrate the effects of installing conservation practices.

Grants.gov is the source to find and apply for federal government grants, including requests for proposals for some 2008 farm Bill programs.

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