Subject: Continuous CRP CP15A, Establishment of Permanent Vegetative Cover (Contour Grass Strips) Noneasement and CP24, Establishment of Permanent Vegetative Cover as Cross Wind Trap Strips, Planning and Design Considerations

This guidance document is for the purpose of providing technical assistance for continuous CRP practices and has been prepared as a result of the Farm Service Agency’s Notice CRP-338 and the guidance it provides on CP15A.

As stated in Notice CRP-338, the purpose of contour grass strips (continuous CRP, CP15A) is to establish a permanent vegetative cover following the contour on eligible cropland that will reduce erosion and control runoff. Land shall not be enrolled in continuous CRP to be devoted to CP15A unless a contour grass strip is needed to reduce erosion or control runoff. The practice may provide other secondary benefits including wildlife; however, land shall not be enrolled in CRP to be devoted to CP15A for any purpose other than to solve the resource concern of erosion and runoff control.

Cropland acres that are terraced and meet the soil loss tolerance would not be eligible for CP15A. Contour Grass Strips must meet NRCS practice standards and all the requirements provided in 2-CRP, Exhibit 9.

For continuous CRP, CP15A purposes, the 50 feet minimum desirable width to prevent the vegetative strip from becoming a predation alley, as stated in Kansas Agronomy Technical Note KS-34, dated April 3, 1998, is rescinded and the maximum width of 30 feet as stated in 2-CRP, Exhibit 9, will be followed as the maximum design width. This is a program requirement for CRP.

In consideration of field borders the following guidance will be followed. The outlet of a contour buffer and the associated ends of furrows where water will drain from the field should be planted to permanent vegetation capable of protecting the soil from erosion and capturing any pollutants that may drain from the field. These end-row or field border areas are eligible for enrollment in the continuous CRP sign-up as long as they are integral components of a field buffer system that includes contour buffer strips. For CP15A, field borders will not exceed an average maximum width of 75 feet.

The partner publication "10 Good Reasons to Grass Your Terraces" should not be used by NRCS Field Offices to promote CP15A, Contour Grass Strips.

The purpose of CP24, Cross Wind Trap Strips, is to establish one or more strips, varying in size, of permanent vegetative cover resistant to wind erosion perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction on eligible cropland with a wind erosion EI greater than or equal to 4 (EI > 4). CP24, Cross Wind Trap Strips, are for the purpose of wind erosion control and are not eligible to be installed on terraces. Cross Wind Trap Strips must meet NRCS practice standards and all the requirements provided in 2-CRP, Exhibit 9.

Subject: Enhancement Options for CP25

The attachment to Kansas CRP Guidance Document Number 14, dated October 21, 1998, entitled, “Enhancement Options for Existing CP10 Stands”, is to be used for all practices requiring enhancement including CP25.

Attached to this guidance document are chapters from the recently developed Core4 Conservation Practices Handbook to provide additional information on the planning and design of contour buffer strips, field borders and cross wind trap strips.

/s/ Leroy Ahlers for

TOMAS M. DOMINGUEZ
State Conservationist

DIST: A, F, S, NPR, RRT, FSA (3), Cheney PO, Schulze, Kuiper, Sherraden

The following documents require Acrobat Reader.

Attachment 1 - Chapter 3b with Job Sheet (PDF; 803 KB)
Attachment 2 - Chapter 3c with Job Sheet (PDF; 842 KB)
Attachment 3 - Chapter 3d with Job Sheet (PDF; 458 KB)