(a) The definitions in part 718 of this title apply to this part and all documents issued in accordance with this part, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(b) The following definitions also apply to this part:

Agricultural commodity means:

(i) Any crop planted and produced by annual tilling of the soil or on an annual basis by one-trip planters;

(ii) Sugarcane planted or produced in a State; or

(iii) Alfalfa and other multi-year grasses and legumes grown in a rotation practice as approved by CCC.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) means the program that provides for the establishment of wetland easements on land under subtitle H of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended.

Annual rental payment means, unless the context indicates otherwise, the annual payment specified in the CRP contract that, subject to the availability of funds, is made to a participant to compensate a participant for placing eligible land in CRP, including any incentive payments that are not specifically cost-share payments. For purposes of this definition, practice incentive payments, and incentive payments related to forest management are not considered part of annual rental payments.

Approved cover means permanent vegetative cover or water cover specified in an approved CRP contract.

Carrying capacity has the same meaning as “normal carrying capacity” defined in part 1416 of this chapter.

Commercial pond-raised aquaculture facility means any earthen facility from which $1,000 or more of freshwater food fish were sold or normally would have been sold during a calendar year.

Common grazing practices means grazing practices, including those related to forage and seed production, common to the area of the subject ranching or farming operation. Included are routine management activities necessary to maintain the viability of forage or browse resources that are common to the locale of the subject ranching or farming operation.

Conservation district means a political subdivision of a State, Indian Tribe, or territory, organized pursuant to the State or territorial soil conservation district law, or Tribal law. The subdivision may be a conservation district, soil conservation district, soil and water conservation district, resource conservation district, natural resource district, land conservation committee, or similar legally constituted body.

Conservation plan means a record of the participant's decisions and supporting information for treatment of a unit of land or water, and includes a schedule of operations, activities, and estimated expenditures needed to solve identified natural resource problems by devoting eligible land to permanent vegetative cover, trees, water, or other comparable measures.

Conservation priority area means an area designated with adverse water quality, wildlife habitat, or other natural resource impacts related to agricultural production activities or to assist agricultural producers to comply with Federal and State environmental laws or to meet other conservation needs.

Conserving use means a use of land that meets crop rotation requirements, as specified by CCC, for: Alfalfa, multi-year grasses, and legumes planted during 2012 through 2017; for summer fallow during 2012 through 2017; or for land on which the CRP contract expired during the period 2012 through 2017 and on which the grass cover required by the CRP contract continues to be maintained as though still enrolled. Land that meets this definition of “conserving use” will be considered to have been planted to an agricultural commodity for the purposes of eligibility specified in §1410.6(b)(1).

Considered planted means land devoted to a conserving use during the crop year or during any of the 2 years preceding the crop year if the contract expired; cropland enrolled in CRP; or land for which the producer received for prevented planting credit in accordance with part 718 of this title.

Contour grass strip means a vegetation area that follows the contour of the land that complies with the FOTG and a conservation plan developed under this part.

Contract period means the term of the CRP contract.

Cost-share payment means, unless the context indicates otherwise, the payment made by CCC to assist CRP participants in installing the practices required in a CRP contract.

Cropland means land defined as cropland in part 718 of this title, except for land in terraces that are no longer capable of being cropped.

Eligible partner means a State, political subdivision of a State, nongovernmental organization, or an Indian Tribe.

Erodibility index (EI) means an index, as prescribed by CCC, used to determine the inherent erodibility from either from water or wind, but not both combined, of a soil in relation to the soil loss tolerance for that soil.

Federally-owned land means land owned by the Federal Government or any department, instrumentality, bureau, or agency thereof, or any corporation whose stock is wholly owned by the Federal Government.

Field border means a strip of permanent vegetation established at the edge or around the perimeter of a field the purpose of which is to provide food and cover for quail and upland birds in cropland areas.

Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) means the official USDA guidelines, criteria, and standards for planning and applying conservation treatments and conservation management systems. It contains detailed information on the conservation of soil, water, air, plant, animal resources, and cultural resources applicable to the local area for which it is prepared. (See https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/fotg/ to access your State FOTG.)

Field windbreak, shelterbelt, and living snowfence mean a vegetative barrier with a linear configuration composed of trees, shrubs, or other vegetation, that are designated as such in a conservation plan and that are planted for the purpose of reducing wind erosion, controlling snow, improving wildlife habitat, or conserving energy.

Filter strip means a strip or area of vegetation immediately adjacent and parallel to an eligible water body, the purpose of which is to remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides, and other pollutants from surface runoff and subsurface flow by deposition, absorption, plant uptake, and other processes, thereby reducing pollution and protecting surface water and subsurface water quality and of a width determined appropriate for such purpose.

Forb means any herbaceous plant other than those in the grass family.

Grassland means land described in §1410.6(d).

Grass waterway means a shaped or graded channel that is established with suitable vegetation to convey surface water from terraces, diversions, or other water concentrations without causing erosion or flooding using a broad and shallow cross section to a stable outlet.

Highly erodible land means land determined to have an EI equal to or greater than 8 on the acreage offered.

Improved rangeland or pastureland means grazing land permanently producing naturalized forage species that receives varying degrees of periodic cultural treatment to enhance forage quality and yields and is primarily consumed by livestock.

Indian Tribe means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group, or community, including pueblos, rancherias, colonies and any Alaska Native Village, or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601-1629h), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

Infeasible to farm means an area of land that is too small or isolated to be economically farmed, or is otherwise suitable for such classification.

Local FSA office means the FSA county office serving the area in which the FSA records are located for the farm or ranch.

Offer means, unless the context indicates otherwise, if required by CCC, the per-acre rental payment requested by the owner or operator in such owner's or operator's request to participate in the CRP.

Perennial crop means a crop that is produced from the same root structure for 2 or more years.

Permanent vegetative cover means perennial stands of approved combinations of certain grasses, legumes, forbs, shrubs and trees for the contract period.

Permanent wildlife habitat means a vegetative cover with the specific purpose of providing habitat, food, or cover for wildlife and protecting other environmental concerns for the contract period.

Practice means a conservation, wildlife habitat, or water quality measure with appropriate operations and management as agreed to in the conservation plan to accomplish the desired program objectives according to CRP and FOTG standards and specifications as a part of a conservation management system.

Prairie strip means a strip(s) of diverse, dense, herbaceous, predominately native perennial vegetation designed and positioned on the landscape to most effectively address soil erosion and water quality by intercepting surface and subsurface water flow to remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides, and other pollutants by deposition, absorption, plant uptake, denitrification, and other processes, and thereby reduce pollution and protect surface and subsurface water quality while providing food and cover for wildlife.

Primary nesting season means the nesting season for birds in the local area that are economically significant, in significant decline, or conserved in accordance with Federal or State law, as determined by CCC in consultation with the State technical committee established as specified in part 610 of this title.

Riparian buffer means a strip or area of vegetation immediately adjacent and parallel to an eligible water body of sufficient width, the purpose of which is to remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides, and other pollutants from surface runoff and subsurface flow by deposition, absorption, plant uptake, and other processes, thereby reducing pollution and protecting surface water and subsurface water quality, and to provide shade to reduce water temperature for improved habitat for aquatic organisms and supply large woody debris for aquatic organisms and habitat for wildlife.

Shrubland means land where the dominant plant species are shrubs, which are plants that are persistent, have woody stems, and a relatively low growth habit.

Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Socially disadvantaged groups include the following and no others unless approved in writing by CCC:

(i) American Indians or Alaskan Natives;

(ii) Asians or Asian-Americans;

(iii) Blacks or African Americans;

(iv) Hispanics; and

(v) Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.

Soil loss tolerance (T) means the maximum average annual erosion rate specified in the FOTG that will not adversely impact the long-term productivity of the soil.

State means State agencies, departments, districts, county or city governments, municipalities or any other State or local government of the State.

State Technical Committee means a committee established pursuant to part 610 of this title to provide information, analysis, and recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Technical assistance means assistance in regard to determining the eligibility of land and practices, implementing and certifying practices, ensuring CRP contract performance, and providing annual rental rate surveys. The technical assistance provided in connection with CRP to owners or operators, as approved by CCC, includes, but is not limited to:

(i) Technical expertise, information, and tools necessary for the conservation of natural resources on land;

(ii) Technical services provided directly to farmers, ranchers, and other eligible entities, including, but not limited to, conservation planning, technical consultation, and assistance with design and implementation of conservation practices; and

(iii) Technical infrastructure, including activities, processes, tools, and agency functions needed to support delivery of technical services, including, but not limited to, technical standards, resource inventories, training, data, technology, monitoring, and effects analyses.

Violation means an action or inaction by the participant, either intentional or unintentional, that would cause the participant to no longer be eligible for all or a portion of cost-share payments, incentive payments, or annual rental payments.

Water cover means flooding of land by water either to develop or restore shallow water areas for wildlife or wetlands, or as a result of a natural disaster.

Wellhead protection area means the area designated by EPA or the appropriate State agency with an Environmental Protection Agency approved Wellhead Protection Program for water being drawn for public use, as defined for public use by the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended.

Wetland means land defined as wetland in accordance with provisions of part 12 of this title.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) means the program authorized by part 1467 of this chapter in which eligible persons enter into long-term agreements to restore and protect wetlands.