Conservation Reserve Program State Incentives

$750,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the Board of Water and Soil Resources to provide onetime state incentive payments to enrollees in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) during the continuous enrollment period and to enroll land in conservation easements consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.515. The board may establish payment rates based on land valuation and on environmental benefit criteria, including but not limited to surface water or groundwater pollution reduction, drinking water protection, soil health, pollinator and wildlife habitat, and other conservation enhancements. The board may use state funds to implement the program and to provide technical assistance to landowners or their agents to fulfill enrollment and contract provisions. The board must consult with the commissioners of agriculture, health, natural resources, and the Pollution Control Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture in establishing program criteria. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2026.