Conservation Stewardship Program Extends Deadline

Enrollment of the Natural Resources Conservation Service program that rewards good agriculture land stewards, the Conservation Stewardship Program, was extended two more weeks to Friday, June 25, 2010. This program offers monetary incentives to encourage producers to continue with conservation practices and undertake new ones. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) offers two payment types: an annual payment to continue existing conservation practices and adopt new ones and a supplemental payment for adopting resource conserving crop rotations. The per acre payments range from $12 to $22 for cropland, $7 to $14 for pasture, $5 to $10 for rangeland, and $6 to $12 for forestland. A supplemental payment, available only for cropland, adds an additional $12 to $16 for the resource conservation crop rotation. To see if the program is right for you, go through the self-screening questionnaire at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/special_pdfs/CSP_Producer_Self-Screening_Checklist.pdf. There is a fair amount of work involved in the application process because it evaluates an agricultural operation's conservation activities. NRCS field offices can help you through the application process. For more information of the program, eligibility, or a list of conservation activities, visit your local NRCS office. To find the office nearest you, look for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the government pages of the phonebook or on the NRCS web page http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ under "Find a Service Center."