If you own CRP land, you may wonder how USDA determines your CRP payments.
The process has changed. USDA still uses local cash rent as a starting point. However, soil productivity can have a major effect on the final payment.
Here is a simple look at how the system works.
What Determines a CRP Payment?
USDA starts with the average cash rental rate for the county.
Then, USDA looks at the soils on the acres being enrolled. Those soils receive a productivity factor.
The current factors are:
- 1.00 for higher-productivity soils
- 0.75 for middle-productivity soils
- 0.50 for lower-productivity soils
USDA uses that factor to adjust the county rental rate.
After that, the type of CRP program also affects the payment.
General CRP generally pays up to 85% of the calculated rental rate.
Continuous CRP generally pays up to 90%.
A Simple CRP Payment Example
Let’s say the county rental rate is $300 per acre.
If the soil has a 1.00 factor, the starting rate stays at $300.
If the soil has a 0.75 factor, the starting rate drops to $225.
If the soil has a 0.50 factor, the starting rate drops to $150.
Then, USDA applies the General or Continuous CRP percentage.
For General CRP, the estimated payments would be about:
- 1.00 factor = $255 per acre
- 0.75 factor = $191 per acre
- 0.50 factor = $128 per acre
This shows why soil productivity matters.
Two farms in the same county could have very different CRP payments.
What Is NCCPI?
NCCPI stands for National Commodity Crop Productivity Index.
It is a USDA system used to compare soil productivity across the country.
In simple terms, NCCPI helps USDA determine how productive a soil is for growing crops.
FSA uses NCCPI information when setting CRP Soil Rental Rates.
Does NCCPI Determine the 1.00, 0.75, or 0.50 Factor?
NCCPI is part of the process. However, there is not a simple national conversion.
For example, USDA does not say:
NCCPI 80–100 = 1.00
NCCPI 60–79 = 0.75
NCCPI below 60 = 0.50
Instead, FSA looks at the individual soil types on the property.
This means you cannot look at one NCCPI score and know exactly what your CRP payment will be.
Your local FSA office can tell you which Soil Rental Rates apply to your farm.
Is NCCPI the Same as CSR2?
No.
Iowa farmland owners are more familiar with CSR2, or Corn Suitability Rating 2.
CSR2 measures the productivity of Iowa farmland.
NCCPI is a national soil productivity system.
The two systems are different. A high CSR2 does not automatically mean a soil will receive a 1.00 CRP factor.
What Changed With CRP Payments?
USDA changed the Soil Rental Rate calculation for new offers beginning May 12, 2025.
One major change was the new soil factor system.
USDA now uses three main factors:
1.00, 0.75, and 0.50.
The previous system allowed a wider range of soil productivity adjustments.
USDA also removed a 10% inflation adjustment that applied to certain older CRP contracts.
For certain contracts approved between June 14, 2021, and September 30, 2024, FSA added a 10% inflation adjustment to the county rental rate.
That adjustment is no longer included for new contracts.
Will My Existing CRP Payment Change?
In most cases, an existing CRP contract continues under the payment terms already established.
The bigger question comes when the contract expires.
If you re-enroll the land, the new payment may be different.
That is why landowners should not assume their next CRP contract will pay the same amount as their current contract.
Why Does This Matter When Buying CRP Land?
CRP income can add value to a property.
However, buyers should look at more than the current annual payment.
One of the first questions should be:
When does the CRP contract expire?
If the contract expires soon, the future payment could change.
For example, a property may currently receive $20,000 per year from CRP. That income may look attractive to a buyer.
But if the contract expires next year, the buyer needs to know what could happen next.
The future CRP payment may be higher or lower.
How Can I Find My Farm’s CRP Rate?
Start with your local USDA Farm Service Agency office.
FSA can review the actual soils on your property. They can also tell you the Soil Rental Rates that apply to those acres.
Do not rely only on the county average cash rent.
The soils on your farm matter.
What Is the Bottom Line?
The new CRP payment calculation is easier to understand when you break it into three parts:
- Start with the county rental rate.
- Adjust it using the soil productivity factor.
- Apply the General or Continuous CRP percentage.
The soil factor will generally be 1.00, 0.75, or 0.50.
NCCPI helps USDA evaluate soil productivity. However, there is not a simple national NCCPI score that automatically determines the factor.
For landowners, the best way to estimate a future CRP payment is to look at the actual soils and FSA Soil Rental Rates for the property.
Buying or Selling CRP Land in Iowa?
CRP income can be an important part of a farm’s value.
However, the current payment does not tell the whole story. The contract expiration date, soil productivity, future CRP payment, and other uses for the land can all affect value.
If you are thinking about buying or selling Iowa farmland with CRP acres, Whitaker Marketing Group can help you understand the property and how its CRP income may affect its value.
