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Conservation Reserve Program: Alternatives Are Available for Managing Environmentally Sensitive Cropland

RCED-95-42 Published: Feb 21, 1995. Publicly Released: Feb 21, 1995.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) estimated the amount and locations of land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other environmentally sensitive cropland that should be removed from production; and (2) provided information on alternatives for managing these lands.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
As Congress debates the reauthorization of the farm bill in 1995 and contemplates the future environmental objectives of CRP, it could consider modifying CRP to: (1) focus more on creating buffer zones, where appropriate, instead of removing whole fields from crop production; (2) allow alternative economic uses on CRP land; and (3) use long-term easements instead of 10-year contracts for any new CRP enrollments.
Closed – Implemented
In the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, the 104th Congress adopted the matter for consideration to modify the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to focus on creating buffer zones instead of removing whole fields from production. Congress did not, however, include provisions to allow alternative economic uses of CRP lands or to use long-term easements. Action on these matters for consideration is not anticipated, as the farm bill will not be reauthorized until 2002.

Full Report

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Topics

Agricultural productionAgricultural programsConservation easementsConservation practicesEnvironmental monitoringFarm income stabilization programsLand leasesLand managementPesticidesPollution controlSoil conservationWater resources conservationLand use