New Farm Bill Provides Higher Returns For Conservation-Minded Tennessee Landowners
Nashville, TN — The 2008 Farm Bill enacted by Congress is resulting in significant changes that offer a
higher cost of return to Tennessee farmers and landowners. Under the new Farm Bill, the rates for entering into
the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) have climbed substantially.
The WRP is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity
to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property.
“If you have previously considered enrolling your land in WRP,
I encourage you to give it a second look,” said State Conservationist Kevin Brown. “Rates are currently being set
for every county in Tennessee, and they are significantly higher than they were just a few weeks ago.”
The WRP and other Farm Bill conservation programs are
administered through the USDA’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
WRP helps landowners restore wetlands with the goal of
maximizing wildlife benefits and recovering lost wetland functions and values. The program offers Tennesseans
an opportunity to be reimbursed for retiring from agriculture those lands that are marginally productive due to
wetness. Applications are ranked with the highest ranking applications receiving funding first.
Eligible lands include those that are privately owned; state, county, or non-federal publicly-owned; or tribal
lands. NRCS in Tennessee has a goal of enrolling
4,000 new acres into the Wetland Reserve Program by September. There is currently no backlog of applications in
Tennessee, so the sooner applicants get their paperwork into NRCS,
the sooner their applications can be reviewed and ranked.
WRP offers landowners three options: permanent easements,
30-year easements, and restoration agreements. The program pays for 100% of the restoration costs for permanent
easements and 75% for 30-year easements and restoration agreements. After an agreement has been reached, the
landowner continues to control access to the land—and may use or lease the land for hunting, fishing, and other
undeveloped recreational activities. At any time, a landowner may request that additional activities be evaluated
to determine if they are compatible uses for the site. This request may include such items as permission to cut hay,
graze livestock, or harvest wood products. Compatible uses are allowed if they are fully consistent with the protection
and enhancement of the wetland.
Sign-up information for WRP is available at local
NRCS offices or conservation districts in each
county, or you can go to the NRCS website at
http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov and look under Programs.
NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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"The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the
basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status,
parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all
or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply
to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To
file a complaint of discrimination write to
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202 720-6382 (TDD).
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer."
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