Transition Incentives Program (TIP)

The Transition Incentives Program (TIP) offers assistance for land owners and operators, as well as opportunities for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. It provides land owners or operators with two additional annual rental payments on land enrolled in expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts, on the condition they sell or rent this land to a beginning farmer or rancher or to a socially disadvantaged group. Up to two additional annual CRP payments can be obtained through TIP. New land owners or renters must return the land to production using sustainable grazing or farming methods.

TIP provides land owners and operators with an incentive to return land to production on an expiring CRP Contract in a way that preserves established conservation practices. It also provides an opportunity for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to purchase their own land or rent land.

To be eligible for TIP, an owner or operator must be a farmer or rancher on land enrolled in an expiring CRP contract. The owner or operator must agree to sell, or have a contract to sell, or agree to lease long-term (at least five years) the land enrolled in an expiring CRP contract to a beginning, veteran or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who is not a family member.

The owner or operator must agree to permit the beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher to make conservation and land improvements according to an approved conservation plan during the last two years of the CRP contract.

Beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers participating in TIP may re-enroll otherwise eligible land under CRP’s continuous signup provisions including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.

Beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers must materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch involved in CRP contract modification.

The benefit is extra CRP rent, not a grant: "Owners or operators who participate in TIP may receive up to two additional annual rental payments after their CRP contract expires provided the beginning or veteran farmer or rancher is not a family member."

The payment rate is simply the CRP rental rate already on that land — FSA publishes no TIP-specific rate, per-acre figure, cap, or cost-share, and directs you to "visit your local FSA office" for "CRP contract expiration rules, rental payment information, maintenance criteria, and land requirements."

What you have to do to earn the two payments:

• Have "land enrolled in a CRP contract with two or less years remaining in the 10- or 15-year contract period."

• "CRP acreage must be transitioned (contract to sell or lease it for at least five years) to eligible beginning or veteran farmers and ranchers before the contract expires" — so a five-year minimum lease if you rent rather than sell.

• The buyer or renter cannot be a family member (spouse, parent, child, grandchild, sibling and so on are all excluded by definition).

• Allow the incoming farmer to make conservation and land improvements under an approved conservation plan during the last two years of the CRP contract.

Stacking: "New owners and operators may also be eligible to enroll in the Conservation Stewardship Program or Environmental Quality Incentives Program," and beginning/veteran/socially disadvantaged participants may re-enroll eligible land under CRP continuous signup.

Enrollment status when this was checked: "Due to the high volume of applications received, TIP enrollment closed before the originally announced Aug. 14, 2026, deadline. No additional enrollments will be accepted for FY 2026."

To apply for this program, reach out to your local FSA office.