The Platte-Republican Resources Area Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was created two years ago to help farmers reduce the consumptive use of surface and groundwater and to enhance wildlife habitat in southern and western Nebraska.

It is a special CRP-like program that pays farmers in 10- to 15-contracts to give up irrigation and place the land in vegetative cover to reduce agricultural chemical and sediment runoff.

Now, irrigated center pivot corners are eligible as long as they meet irrigation eligibility and can be physically and legally capable of being irrigated in a normal manner at the time of the offer. The center pivot corners can be enrolled in CRP without the pivot being enrolled.

According to Brian Wolford, FSA state executive director, "Enrolling irrigated center pivot corners in CREP would result in substantial water savings."

Under CREP, officials hope to enroll up to 100,000 acres along the Republican and Platte River Basins from the Wyoming border to Central Nebraska.

Approximately 41,292 acres have already been offered for enrollment into the Platte Republican Resources Area CREP with an additional 58,708 acres still remaining. Of the remaining acres, 10,000 acres are designated for filter strips and buffers adjacent to streams and 5,000 acres are reserved for wetlands.

Check with your local FSA office for more information.