§ 633.6 - Program participation requirements.

§ 633.6 Program participation requirements.

(a) WBP Agreement. An agreement shall be executed for each participating farm. The agreement shall be signed by the owner of the designated acreage and any other person who, as landlord, tenant, or share cropper, will share in the payment or has an interest in the designated acreage. There may be more than one agreement for a farm.

(b) Agreement period. The agreement period shall:

(1) Be for a term of 10 years;

(2) Become effective on January 1 of the year in which the agreement is approved except that the agreement shall become effective on January 1 of the next succeeding year in cases where, at the time the agreement is approved, the NRCS determines that the agreement signers will be unable to comply with the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section in the year in which such agreement is approved.

(c) Agreement terms and conditions. The acreage designated under an agreement shall:

(1) Be maintained for the agreement period in a manner which will preserve, restore, or improve the wetland character of the land;

(2) Not be drained, burned, filled, or otherwise used in a manner which would destroy the wetland character of the acreage, except that the provisions of this paragraph shall not prohibit the carrying out of management practices which are specified in a conservation plan for the farm;

(3) Not be used as a dumping area for draining other wetlands, except where the State Conservationist determines that such use is consistent with the sound management of wetlands and is specified in the conservation plan;

(4) Not be used as a source of irrigation water;

(5) Not be used for the harvesting of a crop;

(6) Not be hayed except for during periods of severe drought and only under conditions prescribed by the State Conservationist in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior or his designee; and

(7) Not be grazed, except as may be specified in the conservation plan.