Don't Risk Losing USDA Benefits and Program Eligibility - Stay in Compliance

September 11, 2007

Before beginning this year’s harvest, local conservationists are encouraging producers to review the residue requirements and other components of the conservation plan for their highly erodible land (HEL). Staying in compliance with this plan is required by the 1985 and subsequent Farm Bills to qualify for a variety of USDA benefits and programs.

These USDA programs include, but are not limited to: Commodity Credit Corporation Storage Payments, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Security Program (CSP), Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP), Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Farm Loan Programs, Loan Deficiency Program (LDP), Price Support Loans, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).

Since 1995, people receiving USDA benefits have been subject to the conservation provisions and are expected to actively apply a conservation system on all highly erodible lands that are used to produce annually tilled agricultural commodity crops. This includes controlling ephemeral erosion, the small ditches that form in some fields after a rain event.

Wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 and subsequent Farm Bills and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act require landowners and producers to protect wetlands on land they own or operate, according to Rick Van Klaveren, state conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa.

“Responsibility rests with both landowners and operators to implement an appropriate conservation system on HEL ground, or they could lose USDA program benefits,” said Van Klaveren. “These systems are specific to each HEL field on a farm.”

Producers could be found out of compliance by even lightly tilling or working soybean ground, so careful consideration is needed before making any post-harvest management decisions. Failure to prevent ephemeral erosion, through grassed waterways and other practices, has also become a major compliance issue. 

“Farmers should also carefully consider their conservation systems when applying fertilizer including manure application. They should keep in mind that required residue levels must remain after planting,” said Barb Stewart, Iowa NRCS state agronomist.

If producers have any doubts about wetland issues on their farm, they should refer to their Certified Wetland Determination, which may be requested from their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Areas of hydric soils are indicators of wetland areas, even if cropped. “Come and talk with the staff at the local office,” Mark Lindflott, Iowa NRCS state biologist. “In most cases, you will farm as you always have, as long as you do not make crop production possible in a wetland, increase drainage on Farmed Wetlands or add fill to any wetland.”

It is anticipated the new Farm Bill will continue to emphasize HEL and wetland conservation regulations. The NRCS performs annual status reviews on a number of tracts to determine compliance with HEL and wetland conservation regulations.

For more information contact your local NRCS office or visit www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov.

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Contact: Barb Stewart, NRCS State Agronomist, 515-323-2260

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