United States

Department of
Agriculture

Solutions for Landowners

Since 1999, the Delaware Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP) has been helping
producers install and maintain conservation
practices on their property. CREP provides an
opportunity for landowners to earn dependable
income, and at the same time protects watersheds
by removing environmentally sensitive land from
production. To date, over 6,000 acres have been
enrolled in this voluntary program!
CREP project areas include the coastal plains in
the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and Inland
Bays basin areas.

Delawares Practices
The Delaware CREP is authorized to enroll up to
10,000 acres to the following practices:

Hardwood
Trees
Wildlife Habitat

Grass Filter
Strips

Riparian
Buffers

Wetland
Restoration

Shallow Water
Areas for Wildlife

Placement of the practices (except for Shallow

Water Areas for Wildlife) must adjoin impaired
streams or contributing drainage ditches in
designated project areas.

Participating Agencies:

USDA Farm Service Agency

USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service

Soil Conservation Districts

Delaware Department of Natural

Resources and Environmental
Control

US Fish & Wildlife Service

Delaware Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

prohibits discrimination in all its programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, disability, and where applicable,
sex, marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic
information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individuals income is
derived from any public assistance program.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.)
Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means for communication
of program information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact USDAs
TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and
TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272
(voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.

Printed with recycled paper

& soy-based inks

Delaware

CREP
Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program

Solutions for Producers

Solutions for Watersheds

Payments and
Incentives

87.5% of the costs of

establishing CREP
practices

Annual rental
payments:

Up to $225 per
acre for land planted in
Riparian Buffers, Hardwood
Trees or Wetland
Restoration.

Up to $165 per
acre for Wildlife Habitat,
Grassed Filter Strips and
Shallow Water Areas

Additional Incentive
Payments for some
practices:

Sign-up
Incentives of $10 per acre
enrolled

Practice
Incentives equal to 40% of
the eligible cost of practice
installation

The States payments will

be calculated for the
length of the contract and
paid in the first year.

Solutions for Watersheds

Signup Information

By taking environmentally sensitive land out of production and buffering impaired CREP enrollment will be on a
continuous basis, until acreage
streams, Delaware CREP seeks to:
goals have been reached.
Reduce nutrient and sediment loadings in impaired streams
Interested parties are encouraged to
Increase wildlife habitat and create wildlife corridors
contact the nearest USDA Service
Improve water temperature and levels of dissolved oxygen, which are necessary to Center.
support biology and wildlife
Kent
(302) 741-2600
Eligibility for the Program
New Castle (302) 832-3100
(302) 856-3990
CREP applications must satisfy basic eligibility criteria. Contact the CREP Coordinator Sussex
(listed on the right) for details.
Delawares CREP Coordinator,
Participants agree to establish and maintain practices under a 10 or 15 year contract.
Dale Churchey, is also available at:
Land must have been cropped 4 of 6 years during the period of 2008-2013. Marginal
(302) 242-9943
pastureland is also eligible if it is suitable for use as a riparian buffer planted in trees.