Soil and Water Conservation Assistance

Program Information Sheet

Legal Authority

The legal authority for Soil and Water Conservation Assistance is set forth in Section 211(b) in the provisions of Title II of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106-224.

Purpose

SWCS assistance is a voluntary effort for farmers and ranchers that provides cost share and incentive payments to address threats to soil, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, wetland, and wildlife habitat; comply with Federal and State environmental laws; and make beneficial, cost-effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management, manure, nutrient, pest, or irrigation management, land uses, or other measures needed to conserve and improve soil, water, and related natural resources.

Applicability

SWCA is a free-standing provision. It does not amend any existing authorities.

Scope

SWCA is available nationwide, but only in areas that are not designated under section 1230(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3830(c)). These are areas that are outside of designated Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) priority areas, Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) priority areas, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) national priority areas.

Focus

SWCA will address the current unfunded backlog of conservation applications and other Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation program requests, and afford an opportunity for others to apply for SWCA assistance.

Funding

SWCA is budgeted at $20 million for fiscal year 2001. Funds are distributed to the states using an allocation formula which is based on 29 environmental factors which characterize the resources of the state, and consideration of those areas of the state that are outside of EQIP priority areas, WRP priority areas, and CRP national priority areas.

Delivery

SWCA will be delivered by NRCS as an agent of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). The CCC-1200, the CCC-1200 Appendix, and the CCC-1245 forms will be used.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must own or control the land and agree to implement specific eligible conservation practices.

Practices

The NRCS State Conservationist, in consultation with the State Technical Committee, will determine eligible practices, using a locally led process.

Practice Life Span

Cost-shared practices shall be maintained for the life of the practice.

Signup Period

There will be a continuous signup, with periodic ranking cutoff dates as determined by the State Conservationist in consultation with the State Technical Committee.

Contract Determinations

The State Conservationist, with input from the State Technical Committee, will rank and select applications for funding.

Contract Terms and Payment Limitations

There will be a five to ten year contract period. The maximum total payment per participant for SWCA shall not exceed $50,000.

Payment Rates and Terms

The Federal share shall be 75 percent of the cost of an eligible practice, based on the percent of actual cost, percent of actual cost with not-to-exceed limits, flat rates, or average costs. Participants will be paid based upon certification of completion of the approved practice.

In-Kind Contributions

Producers may contribute to the cost of a practice through in-kind sources. Eligible in-kind contributions may include: personal labor, use of personal equipment, donated labor or materials, and on-hand or approved used materials.

Program Responsibility

NRCS is the agency designated by the Secretary as being responsible for program management and leadership for SWCA. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will disburse the cost share and incentive payments to the participants. FSA provides facilities on behalf of CCC to make program payments to participants.

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