A practice funded under the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency’s (USDA FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), CP-42-Pollinator Habitat Initiative has a specific funding incentive, including a signing incentive payment (SIP) up to US$150 per 0.4 hectares (1 acre), an annual rental payment based on the soil rental rate, and a possible Performance Incentive Payment (PIP) of up to 40% of installation costs. The recommended practices include planting wildflowers and forage legumes already used in CRP plant mixes (including CP-2 and CP-4, which may also provide habitat on land adjacent to land enrolled in CP-42). A special emphasis is placed on native forbs and a diversity of species providing flowers throughout the growing season to provide food resources.

Blocks of habitat totaling at least 0.2 hectares (0.5 acres), are recommended over strips of equal size. State-specific best practices are available via NRCS’s technical assistance resources (FSA 2016). For example, Minnesota’s CP-42 Job Sheet provides recommendations that can be implemented to promote pollinator and specifically monarch habitat, including plant species lists. BMPs may include topics such as planting or seeding; prescribed burning; grazing; mowing or haying; and invasive/pest species management (NRCSMn 2015). Recommendations specific to a state or region of interest, if different, should be consulted for this Practice.

• US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA). 2016. CP42 Pollinator Habitat. Establishing and Supporting Diverse Pollinator-Friendly Habitat. fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/economic-and-policy-analysis/natural-resources-analysis/pollinators/index.
• US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Minnesota (NRCSMn). 2015. Native Habitat Development for Pollinators CP42 Job Sheet. nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mn/programs/?cid=nrcs142p2_023677.

Keywords: agricultural production, burning, disturbance, diversity, duration, extent, foraging, forb, frequency, invasive, mechanical treatment, method, monarch extent, mowing, pesticide, preparation, reproducing, seed mix, seeding, soil, tillage, timing