CP-33 Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds is available under the United States Department of Agriculture Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP). CP-33 enrollment is capped at 350,000 acres in 35 states within the primary range of the northern bobwhite. Under continuous signup CRP, there is no deadline for producers to submit acreage for enrollment and eligible acres offered are automatically accepted. All CP-33 contracts require a 10-year enrollment period.

Eligibility requirements:

• Under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) land enrolled must have been planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity during 4 out of 6 years from 2002-2007.
• Land must be adaptable to establishment of habitat for northern bobwhite.
• Land must meet other eligibility requirements outlined in USDA-FSA Notice CRP-479.

Incentives:

• One-time Signup Incentive Payment (SIP) of $10/acre enrolled for each full year of enrollment not to exceed 10 years (up to $50,000 CRP limit).
• 50% cost-share of actual establishment costs, plus a one-time Practice Incentive Payment (PIP) of an additional 40% of total eligible cost of practice installation (up to $50,000 CRP limit) after all eligibility requirements are met.
• Annual rental payments based on county-specific soil rental rates.
• $4/acre maintenance rate to reimburse enrollees for annual practice maintenance.

Active Management Requirement:

• Periodic management activities (light disking, prescribed burning, or selective herbicide application) are required based on the established conservation plan. Mowing is not allowed, except as a means to reduce vegetation prior to prescribed burning or disking.
• 50% cost-share for approved mid-contract management practices carried out in accordance with an approved conservation plan of operation (CPO).