The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, or CREP, is a resource for landowners who till or graze land along water to help reduce runoff and meet their conservation goals. It is a joint effort between the landowner and state, county and federal agencies that compliments working agriculture while protecting Wisconsin’s valuable soil and water.
CREP is a voluntary program that pays landowners to install filter strips along waterways or return frequently flooded fields to wetlands. There is no minimum acreage for CREP enrollment, so landowners can enroll only as much land as necessary to meet conservation goals while keeping the rest in production. Enrolling land in CREP may help mitigate continual financial losses, such as crop damage and seed or nutrient loss, on frequently flooded land. Additionally, landowners maintain agricultural property tax assessment on land enrolled in the program, and public access is not required. Enrollment is by 15-year agreement or perpetual easement.