USDA EXTENDS SIGN-UP FOR 2008 CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM

CSP Sign-Up Will Run Through May 30, 2008

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2008—U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Arlen Lancaster today announced that producers in the Upper White-Village Watershed in Arkansas now have until May 30 to apply for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) in fiscal year 2008. The watershed includes portions of Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, White and Woodruff counties.

The extension applies to all 51 eligible watersheds nationwide.

A sign-up extension announcement is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on May 9, 2008.  Originally, the CSP sign-up was scheduled to run from April 18-May 16, 2008.

“NRCS recognizes the inopportune timing of this year’s sign-up and that farmers and ranchers are busy in their fields. We want to give them as much time as possible,” Lancaster said. “We are extending the sign-up as much as possible to allow producers adequate time to gather natural resource information and complete the required self-assessment and applicant interview. This two-week extension represents the fullest accommodation we can make and  deliver a program this year.”

Natural disasters—such as excessive spring rains and flooding in certain parts of the country that caused delays in planting—also played a role in the decision to extend the sign-up, Lancaster said. As a result, many farmers and ranchers had little time to gather their records to meet the CSP sign-up requirements.

CSP, a voluntary program, encourages and rewards producers who practice outstanding stewardship on working agricultural land by offering financial incentives that increase with the level of conservation effort. Soil and water quality are the primary focus of this program; however, program goals also include improved wildlife habitat, air quality, and environmentally responsible energy production. 

To apply for CSP, NRCS asks potential participants to complete a CSP self-assessment workbook—available on the Web or from local NRCS offices—to find out if their operation meets the requirements of the program and qualifies for program participation. The self-assessment process is completed using a self-screening questionnaire for each land use to be enrolled. When this process is completed, the producer submits the CSP workbook to the local NRCS office during the sign-up period and meets with NRCS personnel to go over any additional needed documentation. NRCS will then determine if eligibility requirements are met and provide options for the producer’s decision on enrollment category placement.

Last Modified: 05/13/2008

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