USDA OPENS 2026 CRP ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced enrollment dates for 2026 Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), offering Washington producers opportunities to put marginal or environmentally sensitive acres to work through conservation. Offers for CRP will be accepted by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Key Enrollment Dates

• Continuous CRP: Feb. 12 – March 20, 2026
• General CRP: March 9 – April 17, 2026
• Grassland CRP: Dates to be announced.

Continuous CRP Options

Continuous CRP submitted by agricultural producers and landowners will be batched by FSA and re-enrollment of expiring CRP continuous acreage will be on a first come, first serve basis. Continuous CRP focuses on smaller, high-impact parcels such as riparian areas, wetlands, and field edges. Accepted offers receive annual rental payments plus cost-share assistance to establish long-term vegetative cover.

Highlighted initiatives include:

• CLEAR Initiative (Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers): Targets water quality improvements by reducing sediment, nutrients, and harmful algal blooms through conservation buffers and vegetative cover.
• CLEAR30: Expands CLEAR with enhanced incentives and 30-year contract options.
• Highly Erodible Land Initiative (HELI): Supports permanent cover on cropland with high erosion risk (erodibility index ≥20).
• CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program): State- and Tribal-focused projects addressing priority conservation concerns in targeted geographic areas.
• SAFE (State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement): Restores critical wildlife habitat aligned with state conservation goals.

General CRP Signup

General CRP covers larger tracts of cropland and operates through a competitive bid and ranking process. After the enrollment period ends, FSA ranks and scores the offers using national environmental benefit criteria. Approved participants receive annual rental payments and may qualify for cost-share support to establish conservation cover.

Since its creation in 1985, CRP has become one of the nation’s largest voluntary conservation programs—helping stabilize highly erodible acres, improve water and soil health, and deliver wildlife benefits while providing dependable annual income on less-productive ground.

Interested? Contact your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to discuss eligibility, practice options, and enrollment planning.