Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

After a landowner signs a 15-year federal CREP contract with FSA, IDNR buys a state easement that extends protection for 15 more years or permanently, paying a lump sum based on easement length and soil rental rate. IDNR also covers the remaining 50% of practice establishment costs. It is limited to flood-prone, environmentally sensitive cropland in the Illinois and Kaskaskia River watersheds.

• Land in the Illinois or Kaskaskia River watersheds

• Land must first be enrolled in a Federal CREP contract with FSA (e.g., in the 100-year floodplain or a previous wetland, with cropping history 4 of the last 6 years)

• Additional contiguous acres may be enrolled in the easement (no cost-share on additional acres)

Easement of 15 years or perpetual beyond the federal contract; lump-sum payment; IDNR reimburses the second 50% of cost-share; changes to easement acreage need SWCD and IDNR pre-approval.

Published amounts: Upon execution of the Easement, the landowner will receive a lump sum payment for the Easement. The payment will be based on the Easement length chosen by the landowner and the site-specific soil rental rate. IDNR will reimburse the remaining 50% of the cost-share to establish the conservation practice on the Federal CREP acreage. (What is CREP? fact sheet, rev. May 2022)

Contact your local FSA office first for the Federal CREP contract; then contact your local SWCD to start enrollment in the State (Illinois CREP) easement. INHS Conservation Resource Specialists also assist.

Deadline text on the page: No sign-up window published; enrollment follows execution of a Federal CREP contract with FSA.