USDA Conservation Programs in Colorado

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
Time frame: 2017-2020
National Obligations: $1,795,034,800
Colorado Obligations: $45,260,000
ACEP is broken into two types of easements, Agricultural Land Easements and Wetlands Reserve Easements. Agricultural Land Easements, or ALE, are designed to preserve agricultural land for farming and conservation activities, instead of their being developed into urban areas or other uses. Wetland Reserve Easements, or WRE, are more similar to traditional conservation easements. NRCS buys the easement rights from private and tribal landowners to protect and enhance wetlands, as well as to restore previously farmed wetlands. ACEP obligations are available at the state level.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Time frame: 2017-2020
National Payments: $7,140,378,408
Colorado Payments: $253,245,926
CRP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and provides money and technical help to producers who agree to take environmentally sensitive land out of crop production and plant permanent vegetation.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Time frame: 2017-2020
National Payments: $3,717,461,582
Colorado Payments: $87,392,543
CSP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, or NRCS. It provides money and technical help to agricultural producers as they plan and implement conservation activities referred to in the program as “enhancements” on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Time frame: 2017-2020
National Payments: $3,657,860,836
Colorado Payments: $108,687,768
EQIP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, or NRCS, and provides money and technical help to farmers as they plan and implement conservation practices on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
Time frame: 2017-2020
National Obligations: $317,257,600
Colorado Obligations: $904,100
The Wetlands Reserve Program, or WRP, was a program that paid farmers and landowners to restore previously farmed or degraded wetlands. The Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, or NRCS, paid them to establish long-term or permanent conservation practices on wetlands, as well as acquire 30-year or permanent easements on the land. The 2014 Farm Bill ended the program but created the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, which includes Wetland Reserve Easements. WRP obligations are available at the state level.

USDA Census of Agriculture Data for Colorado, 2017

Land in Colorado, 2017

Livestock in Colorado, 2017

Crops in Colorado, 2017