By Johathan Dingler
Journal Correspondent

When Robert McDonald decided to plant his fields and pastures to loblolly pine in 1986, he did more than just make an investment in timber for himself and his family. He participated in the first ever sign-up for the USDA's Conservation Reserve Program.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program. CRP is one of America's most popular conservation programs. Authorized by Congress through the Food Security Act of 1985, it's a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them safeguard environmentally sensitive land. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance to perform the conservation practices.

Agricultural producers enrolled in CRP plant long term vegetative cover to control soil erosion due to farming. In addition it improves the quality of our air and water while enhancing wildlife habitat. These benefits are accomplished in multiple ways. One way that CRP improves air quality is by reducing wind erosion. By establishing vegetative cover, the soil isn't exposed to the wind, thereby eliminating much of the air pollution on windy days. Trees planted through CRP also work to capture or "sequester" carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which in return reduces the effects of global warming.

Along with improved air quality, CRP greatly benefits water quality around the country. In the same way that it eliminates wind erosion, vegetative cover greatly reduces the amount of soil erosion during heavy rains. This is because the roots of the plants hold the soil in place, meaning that ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams are cleaner for swimming and fishing. This will become increasingly necessary in the future, as we look to replace groundwater with surface water in order to meet our drinking water needs.

Perhaps the most popular benefits of CRP are the improvements to wildlife habitat. Since its inception, CRP has restored nearly two million acres of wetlands nationwide. This greatly improves the habitat of waterfowl by providing both food and nesting cover. In the Plains, CRP has also been vastly influential in increasing the survivability of upland game, such as the wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, and prairie chicken.

Nationwide there are about 35 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. It's estimated that these acres prevent nearly 450 million tons of soil each year from eroding. McDonald's CRP acres are located in the heart of Angelina County, Texas which lies in between the Angelina and Trinity Rivers. There are close to 1,000 acres enrolled in CRP in Angelina County alone, which keeps an estimated 13,000 tons of sediment per year out of those rivers.

The largest of the CRP contracts in Angelina County, McDonald's has 261 acres enrolled. This land was previously farmed and grazed prior to enrollment in CRP. The Natural Resources Conservation Service estimated that prior to becoming a pine forest; the land lost an average of 23 tons/acre per year of sediment due to erosion.

As part of the CRP contract, McDonald's forest was thinned in 1998 which opened up the canopy allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. This has caused an abundance of new growth in the understory providing food and cover for many wildlife species including white-tailed, wild turkey, and others. This provides for great recreational opportunities such as hunting which McDonald and his family enjoy.

To be eligible for placement in CRP, land must be cropland (including field margins) that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity 4 of the previous 6 crop years from, and which is physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity. Certain marginal pastureland that is enrolled in the Water Bank Program or suitable for use as a riparian buffer or for similar water quality purposes also qualifies.

In addition to the eligible land requirements, cropland must meet one of the following criteria: 1) Have a weighted average erosion index of 8 or higher; 2) be expiring CRP acreage; or 3) be located in a national or state CRP conservation priority area.

Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). The Farm Service Agency collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking. FSA uses the many EBI factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered. These include Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage as well as water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff, and leaching. Other criteria includes cost, benefits from reduced soil erosion and air quality benefits.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program, I think we all look forward to another 20 years and a healthier environment as well.

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