Governor Dayton today signed an agreement with the U-S Department of Agriculture for the state to receive $350 million in funding to protect water quality.
Dayton calls it a “landmark agreement.”
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) will target areas in southern and western Minnesota.
Through program, farmers and agricultural landowners can voluntarily enroll to create buffers, restore wetlands, and protect wellheads for drinking water. Farmers and other landowners who voluntarily participate in the program will be eligible for $350 million in federal funds for direct payments to farmers.
The Minnesota CREP will invest a total of $500 million in Greater Minnesota. To leverage the full $350 million in federal funds, the state of Minnesota must commit $150 million, of which $54.8 million has already been appropriated in past legislative sessions. And Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have included $30 million for CREP in their 2017 Jobs Bill.