The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was established in 1998 as a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the State of Oregon. CREP is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers to restore riparian areas in order to protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, improve water quality, and create wildlife and fish habitat. Participants commit to keeping land out of agricultural production for the life of a 10 to 15-year contract. In exchange, they receive cost-share assistance funding for completing restoration practices and annual rental payments. Additionally, Oregon’s program is unique in having a cumulative impact incentive payment for a landowner or neighboring landowners who enroll more than 50% of 5-mile stream segment.

The Union Soil and Water Conservation District, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) collaborate to provide CREP technical support in Union County. If you have a stream running through your agricultural land that demonstrates a need for restoration, you may be eligible for CREP. To learn more, contact the Union SWCD CREP Coordinator, Anna Lindquist at: alindquist@unionswcd.org

CREP Partners

• USDA La Grande Service Center
• Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Read about OWEB’s role in CREP

Additional Resources

• Union County CREP Fact Sheet
• Oregon CREP Fact Sheet
• NRCS 9-Step Conservation Planning Process
• FSA Program Discover Tool: Learn more about CREP and other FSA programs in an easy-to-navigate directory. Whether you are looking for funding, resources, or programs specific to the livestock or crops that you raise, this tool guides you to the FSA programs that match your goals and needs.