First Participants in Conservation Stewardship Program Now Eligible to Renew

Producers with expiring USDA Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts are now eligible to renew and add conservation activities to support their natural resource improvement activities and fine-tune their conservation plans.

Renewal applications will be accepted from July 11 until September 12.

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“CSP farmers are conservation leaders and go the extra mile to conserve our nation’s resources,” said Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller. “The 2014 Farm Bill continued that commitment and heightened the program’s focus on generating conservation benefits. This program allows landowners to reach the next level of conservation and opens the door to trying new conservation activities.”

Some 20,000 CSP contracts are reaching the end of their initial five-year contract period and may be renewed for another five years when participants agree to take additional conservation actions. The program provides opportunities for farmers who are already established conservation stewards, helping them improve water quality and quantity, soil health and wildlife habitat.

More than 58 million acres were enrolled when the program launched in 2009 – an area the size of Indiana and Wisconsin combined. Another signup period will be scheduled in fiscal year 2015.

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Information about technical and financial assistance available through CSP is available online from USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service, the Conservation Stewardship webpage or the local USDA service center.

Source – USDA

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