Conservation Security Program (CSP) Fact Sheet

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) was authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill to reward farmers and ranchers who are implementing conservation on America’s working lands. CSP is a voluntary program based on conservation accomplishments that recognizes the contributions of the best land stewards and encourages them to do more.

“CSP rewards farmers and ranchers that are already making conservation choices for their operations,” said Dave White, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationist. “The program gives us the means to compensate producers for the beautiful landscapes and healthy natural resources we all enjoy in Montana while encouraging others to make improvements to their lands.”

Watershed Approach

Due to restraints on both program and technical assistance funding, the NRCS is implementing CSP on a watershed basis. Focusing on high priority watersheds will allow NRCS to provide quality service to more applicants than if the program was implemented nationwide.

Priority watersheds were selected based on the following criteria:

• wide variety of land uses and input intensities
• high-priority resource issues to be addressed
• history of good land stewardship
• availability of technical tools and staff

CSP Sign-up

The sign-up period will be from April 18 through May 30, 2008.

This year, CSP is offered in 51 watersheds nationwide covering more than 24 million acres. In Montana, the CSP opportunity will offered to agricultural producers in the Judith River watershed. The Judith River watershed encompasses more than 1.7 million acres in Fergus and Judith Basin counties. Of these acres, about 1.2 million or 68 percent are privately owned agricultural lands. Farmers and ranchers in the watershed may be eligible to apply for the program.

If you are located in the Judith River watershed, prepare for the sign-up period by contacting your local NRCS office. Information meetings will also be held in the watershed area.

The process for applying for CSP is as follows:

1. Access the National CSP Self-Assessment Workbook, when available, either on the Conservation Security Program webpage or by picking up a hard copy at the local USDA Service Center. Using the workbook, producers will:
• determine whether they meet the basic eligibility requirements,
• document their stewardship work to date, and
• document conservation treatments undertaken on the farm or ranch.
2. Complete the Montana CSP self-assessment workbook that you receive from the local
   NRCS office or get online at the above website (when available).
3. Submit the two completed workbooks to the Service Center during the sign-up period.
4. Meet with NRCS personnel to go over any additional documentation.

Once this information is complete, NRCS will determine the appropriate tier level and enrollment category for which you qualify. Subsequently, NRCS will select the categories to be funded for CSP contracts.

For More Information

To learn more about CSP, visit your local USDA Service Center. You can also find more detailed information about the watershed and the program on the Conservation Security Program webpage.

Interested agricultural producers in the Judith River watershed should contact the NRCS office located in their county. Remember, the key to CSP is providing records of your conservation stewardship, so start gathering those records now.

CSP Watershed

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This fact sheet is also available in Adobe Reader format.

Conservation Security Program (PDF; April 2008; 738 KB)

Last Modified: 10/27/2008