Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

CRP is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. Visit the USDA website or contact the FSA/NRCS office for more information. 

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Minnesota CREP is a federal-state natural resource conservation program that works to meet state environmental objectives and to protect environmentally sensitive land on 120,000 acres in parts of Northwest, Southeast, and Southwestern Minnesota. Under CREP, program participants voluntarily enroll certain practices CRP and the Minnesota Re-invest in Minnesota (RIM) program. 

Environmental Quality Incentives Progream (EQIP)

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat.

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Current Sign-up Deadline:  January 18, 2019

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

CSP helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns.  Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance - the higher the performance, the higher the payment.

Partner Programs

Natural Resources Conservation Service

State Office of Climatology

Rain Gauge Monitoring

Since 1977, the SWCD has maintained a network of volunteers who monitor and report precipitation amounts. The information is sent to the Minnesota Office of Climatology.  Click here to access data.