Conservation Reserve Program: Farmable Wetlands Program

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffer to improve both vegetation and water flow. FWP is a voluntary program to restore up to one million acres of farmable wetlands and associated buffers. Participants must agree to restore the wetlands, establish plant cover, and to not use enrolled land for commercial purposes. Plant cover may include plants that are partially submerged or specific types of trees. The Farm Services Agency (FSA) runs the program through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with assistance from other government agencies and local conservation groups.

Farmers and ranchers in any state can take part in the program. There are restrictions, however, on the land and amount of acreage that can be enrolled. Land generally must have been used for agricultural purposes for 3 of the past 10 crop years, can include a man-made wetland used to process water flow for crop drainage, can have been used for aqua farming purposes, or has been used for prairie wetland overflow purposes.

Wetlands and wetland buffer areas are critical to maintaining a healthy environment and can make areas more resilient to future climate change.