Implementation of Priority CRP Conservation Practices and Estimated Nutrient Load Reductions

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1 1 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/FSA CRP Program Measures Implementation of Priority CRP Conservation Practices and Estimated Nutrient Load Reductions Measure Background Visual Depiction The bar graphs below show the acreage and number of occurrences for two conservation practices funded through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Minnesota administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). The two highlighted management practices (filter strips and riparian buffers) are considered priority water quality practices. Figure 2. Number of occurrences and acres of application for filter strips funded by CRP from Figure 1. Number of occurrences and acres of application for riparian forested buffers funding by CRP from Measure Description This measure focuses on implementation trends for two key conservation practices funded by through CRP administered by FSA, as well as the estimated associated reduction in nutrients through implementation. It is an indirect or surrogate measure for the overall CRP program in Minnesota, focusing on conservation practices identified by FSA as key to reducing nutrient contributions from agricultural land eligible to receive funding through CRP. Figure 1 shows the number and acreage of filter strips implemented through CRP in Minnesota from As shown in Figure 1, the number and acreage associated with filter strips from peaked in 2002, with a decline until In 2007, the number and acreage declined again, but rose in The number and acreage of filter strips declined during , with small gains made in During 2013, the number and acreage of filter strips exceeded 2008 levels, but have not achieved the 2002 peak year quantities. Figure 2 shows the number and acreage of riparian forested buffers implemented through CRP in Minnesota. According to Figure 2, the number and acreage of riparian forested buffers peaked in 2002 and steadily declined until a slight uptick in 2008, with further decline in 2009 and The number and wq-s1-80n4

2 2 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/FSA CRP Program Measures acreage of riparian forested buffers funded through CRP increased slightly in 2011 and 2012, with a return to 2005 levels in Table 1 below shows the estimated percent nitrogen and phosphorus removal associated with these practices. Table 1. Estimated nutrient removal efficiencies for two key CRP practices Best Management Practice Phosphorus Removal (%) Nitrogen Removal (%) Filter Strips Riparian Buffers Miller et al., 2012 MPCA 2013; Iowa State, 2013 Associated Terms and Phrases To better understand this measure, it is necessary to understand a few specific terms and phrases. Definitions used in this measure are as follows: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are years in length. The longterm goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. Filter strips: an area of permanent herbaceous vegetation used to reduce sediment, organics, nutrients, pesticides, and other contaminant loadings in runoff. Filter strips provide a buffer between fields and water bodies and allow for settling out of suspended soil particles, infiltration of runoff and soluble pollutants, adsorption of pollutants on soil and plant surfaces, and uptake of soluble pollutants by plants. Conservation Practice 21/Minn. NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (393). More information on the design standards is available at Riparian buffers: an area of trees and shrubs located adjacent to streams, lakes, ponds, or wetlands. Riparian forest buffers of sufficient width intercept sediment, nutrients, pesticides, and other materials in surface runoff and reduce nutrients and other pollutants in shallow subsurface water flow. Buffers are located along or around permanent or intermittent streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, or seeps. Conservation Practice 22/Minn. NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (391). More information on the design standards is available at Target There is no specific numeric target for this measure to date. Baseline Covers (through May) Geographical Coverage Statewide

3 3 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/FSA CRP Program Measures Data and Methodology Methodology for Measure Calculation FSA tracks specific information related to CRP implementation and sign-ups over time. A variety of CRP reports are made available on the FSA CRP website =May-2013 To calculate this measure, information on annual practice acres and practice occurrences for CP-21 and CP-22 were extracted from FSA s CRP report entitled SUMMARY OF ACTIVE CONTRACTS BY PROGRAM YEAR BY STATE CRP - MONTHLY CONTRACTS REPORT for Minnesota. This information was placed into an Excel spreadsheet to generate the bar graphs shown in Figures 1 and 2. Data Source USDA-FSA Minnesota State Office Data Collection Period 1999 through 2013 Data Collection Methodology and Frequency FSA is in the process of transferring to a new data management system for CRP information. Information from October 2012 to present is contained in the new data management system. Information prior to October 2012 remains in the old system. Eventually, all data will be housed in the new data management system. Supporting Data Set Table 2 provided below contains practice acreage and number of occurrences for filter strips (CP-21) and riparian buffers (CP-22) from as available in FSA s CRP report entitled SUMMARY OF ACTIVE CONTRACTS BY PROGRAM YEAR BY STATE CRP - MONTHLY CONTRACTS REPORT for Minnesota.

4 4 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/FSA CRP Program Measures Table 2. Practice acreage and number of occurrences for filter strips (CP-21) and riparian buffers (CP-22) funded by FSA through the CRP program by year Year Practice Acres Number of Occurrences 1999 Filter strips 8, Filter strips 8, Filter strips 13, Filter strips 23, Filter strips 10, Filter strips 6, Filter strips 2, Filter strips 7, Filter strips 4, Filter strips 12, Filter strips 6, Filter strips 4, Filter strips 3, Filter strips 5, Filter strips 14, Riparian buffers 2, Riparian buffers 3, Riparian buffers 6, Riparian buffers 12, Riparian buffers 4, Riparian buffers 3, Riparian buffers 2, Riparian buffers 1, Riparian buffers 1, Riparian buffers 1, Riparian buffers Riparian buffers Riparian buffers Riparian buffers Riparian buffers 1, Caveats and Limitations This measure only tracks two priority management practices funded by FSA through CRP conservation payments. Implementation of these management practices are largely determined by the amount of funding available annually through Minnesota s CRP program. FSA does not track nutrient load reductions associated with management activities implemented under CRP. Land enrolled in other conservation programs is eligible under CRP provided CRP does not pay for the same practice on the same land as any other USDA program. As a result, acreage captured under this measure might also be captured under other program indicators. The use of two data management systems creates challenges for easily reporting practice information by county. Current county-specific CRP reports provided by FSA do not specify individual practice acreages and occurrences. Lack of county-specific information for each practice over time does not allow the acreage information to be incorporated into the Strategy s 8- digit HUC analysis of implementation.

5 5 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/FSA CRP Program Measures Future Improvements Improvements to this measure will be made over time. Ideally this measure will be able to report on implementation of the two key practices by 8-digit HUC, as well as compare estimated nutrient load reductions. It would be helpful for FSA to incorporate a mechanism for estimated nutrient load reductions associated with CRP practices as part of programmatic tracking, possibly through CRP reporting requirements. However, this would require a national change in approach because CRP is a federal program. Financial Considerations Contributing Agencies and Funding Sources This measure only tracks the two priority management practices identified by FSA funded using CRP to make conservation payments. Payment rates for each management practice vary annually. References Iowa State University Iowa Science Assessment of Nonpoint Source Practices to Reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus Transport in the Mississippi River Basin. May Section 2 of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy developed by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Miller, T.P., J.R. Peterson, C.F. Lenhart, and Y. Nomura The Agricultural BMP Handbook for Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Accessed June MPCA D1 Nitrogen Sources to Land and Waters - Results Overview. DRAFT 2013 (Dave Wall, David J. Mulla, and Steve Weiss, MPCA). Waidler, D., M. White, E. Steglich, S. Wang, J. Williams, C.A. Jones, and R. Srinivasan Conservation Practice Modeling Guide for SWAT and APEX. USDA Agricultural Research Service, Blackland, TX. Measure Points of Contact Agency Information Wanda Garry, Chief Conservation-Price Support Program Specialist USDA Farm Service Agency, Minnesota State Office 375 Jackson Street, Suite 400 St. Paul, MN Wanda.Garry@mn.usda.gov