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Abstract
Benefits would be mixed if the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) were expanded to include irrigated land, highly erodible land, and cropped wetlands, which contribute to environmental problems. This report examines the following options for implementing environmental provisions of the CRP: -- Irrigated land. Enrollment costs for this acreage are high since irrigation is profitable in many areas. Net environmental benefits would not likely increase. -- Erodible land in watersheds with pollution problems. Water quality could benefit considerably by targeting selected watersheds. Targeting modest acreages of buffer strips near streams would increase benefits even more. -- Cropped wetlands. Wildlife habitat would improve by restoring up to 6 million acres to wetlands.