Get paid to keep your land working — naturally.
The federal CRP program pays landowners $50-$300 per acre per year to take land out of intensive production. Conservation easements provide large lump-sum payments or tax credits. New carbon markets layer on additional revenue.
How it works
- 1Assess eligibility
Your local USDA NRCS office can tell you what programs your land qualifies for: CRP, EQIP, ACEP, CSP, etc.
- 2Apply
Programs are competitive and run on annual or biannual cycles. Applications go through your county FSA / NRCS office.
- 3Enroll
Approved acres enter a 10-15 year contract (CRP) or permanent easement (ACEP). Payments are annual or lump-sum at closing.
- 4Stack carbon
Many CRP / forested parcels can also qualify for voluntary carbon markets — $5-$30 per acre per year on top of program payments.
Deal structures
10-15 year contracts paying state-specific rental rates ($50-$300/ac/yr) for taking marginal cropland out of production.
Permanent sale of development rights. Lump sum payment + significant federal income tax deduction (often 30-50% of land value).
Voluntary market protocols for forest management, soil carbon, or grassland conservation. $5-$30/ac/yr typical for managed projects.
Frequently asked
Yes — CRP, EQIP, and most programs leave full ownership with you. Permanent easements transfer specific rights (e.g., development) but you keep ownership and most uses.
Iowa $245/ac, Texas $50/ac, Pennsylvania $130/ac — set by state and county. USDA publishes Soil Rental Rates annually.
Free, instant assessment — and matched providers in your state.