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Farm Events: |
Farm News: Conservation Stewardship Deadline Is ComingcommentsPosted: 05.12.2010 Farm and forest landowners interested in the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) must complete their applications by June 11 for possible 2010 funding. CSP encourages farm and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations. Applications can be made at any time at all USDA NRCS Service Centers, but only applications received by June 11 will be ranked for funding this year. Last year, over 700 Wisconsin farmers applied for CSP, with over 500 accepted for contracts.
Is CSP right for you?
CSP involves a five-year contract in which the farmer agrees to maintain existing conservation practices and to do more conservation practices over the course of the contract. It also requires time and documentation of farm conservation activities, which are used to determine eligibility and ranking. CSP farmers receive five annual payments based on the conservation work they are doing.
NRCS has prepared a self-screening checklist that farmers can take to see if they may be eligible. To see the CSP checklist, visit the Wisconsin NRCS website at www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov .
To participate in CSP, farmers must meet three types of eligibility criteria: the applicant must be eligible, the land must be eligible and a conservation stewardship threshold must be proven.
To be eligible to apply:
Eligible land:
The land must be privately-owned agricultural land or nonindustrial private forest land, or tribal land.
Note: You must include your entire eligible farming operation, meaning all the land you farm not just portions of the farm. Lands already enrolled in a program, such as the Conservation Reserve Program or Wetlands Reserve Program, are excluded.
Stewardship Threshold Requirements:
There are many questions and issues that are covered in the CSP application and in the ranking process. Ideally, the farm, including all cropland and pastureland, should show few signs of erosion or soil loss; water quality should be protected with grassy buffers and nutrient management; and some areas of land should be managed for wildlife habitat.
NRCS encourages farmers who may not yet meet these requirements to work with the local conservation staff on a conservation plan, and to take advantage of cost-sharing programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, to work toward a successful CSP enrollment in future years.
National Average Payment Set at $18 per acre
The national average CSP payment is mandated by Congress to be $18 per acre per year. Individual payments and state averages may be more or less than this amount. Payments are made to producers after the new conservation activities scheduled in the contract have been implemented.
Contact the NRCS office at the USDA Service Center for your county to schedule an appointment. More information is available at www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov
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