USDA ANNOUNCES FIRST SIGN-UP FOR NEW CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

Continuous Enrollment for Oregon Producers Begins August 10.
 

PORTLAND, AUGUST 6, 2009 — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin continuous sign-up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program on August 10. To be considered for Fiscal Year 2009 funding, applications must be received by September 30. Applications received after the cutoff will be considered for funding in 2010.

The program, administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will help farmers, ranchers and non-industrial private forest landowners across the state maintain existing conservation on their operations while adopting additional activities.

“This voluntary Conservation Stewardship Program will help the land stewards among Oregon’s agricultural and forestry producers do even more to protect and improve natural resources and encourage on-farm energy efficiency,” said NRCS State Conservationist Ron Alvarado.

Lands eligible for the program include cropland, grazing land, non-industrial private forestland, and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Individual landowners, legal entities, and Indian tribes may be eligible to apply.

Before submitting an application, interested producers should first complete a self-screening checklist, available at USDA Service Centers and on the NRCS Web site, to determine whether the new program is suitable for them and their operation. Next, they must work with their local USDA Service Center to establish their program eligibility.

To be considered for funding, eligible applicants must show that they currently address a minimum level of conservation on their land and are willing to add additional conservation activities.

“Agricultural operators with critical resource concerns on their land or who need assistance with structural or other conservation practices can apply for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) first, then consider future enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program,” said Alvarado.

Once producers submit their applications, NRCS will assess the current and proposed conservation on their land. Based on this information, applications will be ranked for funding within the state.

The agency will establish payment rates after the conclusion of the first ranking period, using enrollment information to set uniform, national payment rates per land use. This process will allow the agency to manage funding and meet legislative constraints for the new program.

Nationwide, the program enrollment is capped at 12,769,000 acres annually. USDA will soon announce enrollment acres allowed for each state.

USDA is currently finalizing the new Conservation Stewardship Program’s policies and procedures. The interim final rule, published in the Federal Register, is open for public comment through Sept. 28.

The program, authorized under the 2008 Farm Bill, is the result of a renovation of the former Conservation Security Program (CSP), improving its availability to both agricultural and forestry producers.

For additional information about the Conservation Stewardship Program, please visit the Oregon NRCS web site at: http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/index.html.

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