Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a final rule for the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP). This final rule sets forth how NRCS, using the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), will implement WHIP in response to changes made by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act). NRCS published an interim final rule with request for comment in the Federal Register on January 16, 2009, an amendment was published on March 12, 2009, with a request for public comment, and another amendment was published on July 15, 2009, with a request for public comment. NRCS is publishing a final rule that addresses the comments received on the interim final rule and to clarify policies to improve program implementation.