2008 Conservation Security Program (CSP)

• 2008 Conservation Security Program information - National

• What is the Conservation Security Program?

• News Release

• General Information - Oneida Watershed

• Maps of Oneida Watershed

• Self-Assessment Workbook

• Enhancement Activities and Certification Sheets

• Payment Information (stewardship, existing practice, and enhancement payment rates)

• Prior Years CSP Sign-Up Information

Oneida Watershed

Includes parts of Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties.

The following document requires Adobe Reader.

Oneida Watershed map (PDF; 720 KB)

What is the Conservation Security Program (CSP)?

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to conserve and improve soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life on tribal and private working lands—cropland, grassland, improved pasture, as well as certain forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. Visit the Programs area of the National Natural Resources Conservation Service Web site to get detailed CSP Information including fact sheets, questions and answers, and other information.

The CSP has a unique role among USDA conservation programs. It identifies and rewards those farmers who meet the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations, creates powerful incentives for other producers to meet those same standards of conservation performance on their operations, and provides public benefits for generations to come.

News Release
CSP Sign-up is Friday, April 18th - Friday. May 16th, 2008

Syracuse, New York, March 21, 2008

Ron Alvarado, State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, announced that the Oneida Watershed in New York is eligible for federal funding through the Conservation Security Program (CSP). This conservation program is authorized under the 2002 Farm Bill and rewards farmers for current and future conservation efforts. The sign up period for eligible farmers in the Oneida Watershed is April 18, 2008 through May 16, 2008.  The Oneida Watershed includes parts of Madison, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties.

"We are pleased to offer this opportunity to recognize good land stewardship," stated Ron Alvarado, NRCS State Conservationist for New York. "CSP rewards those who are taking care of our natural resources," he continued.

Eligibility for CSP is based on the evaluation of surface and groundwater quality, soil quality, nutrient management, and pest management, on each applicant’s farm operation. An in-depth explanation of program requirements for the CSP and the self-assessment process used to determine eligibility will be explained in a series of meetings that will be held throughout the Oneida Watershed in the next few weeks. It is estimated that 1,277 farms in the Oneida Watershed cover 264,727 acres of farmland that could be eligible for CSP.

"CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, agricultural working lands and rewards those producers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations," said Alvarado.

Payments can include three components:

1. An annual stewardship component for the base level of conservation treatment.
    

2. An annual component for maintenance of existing conservation practices.
    

3. An enhancement component for exceptional conservation effort. Enhancement activities could include limited pesticide applications, renewable energy generation, and widening existing riparian forest buffers for restoring critical stream habitat.

To apply for CSP, NRCS asks potential participants in the Oneida Watershed 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 (April 18 to May 16, 2008) 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.

NRCS held the first nation wide CSP sign-up in 2004. Today's announcement brings the number of watersheds enrolled to 331 across the nation, covering 247.7 million acres that have been eligible for the program. CSP is offered on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows. Additional information on CSP, including eligible watersheds and a CSP self-assessment workbook is available at the USDA NRCS Conservation Security Program Web site, or by contacting one of the following NRCS offices:
 

General Information about the Oneida Watershed

The Oneida Watershed is located in central New York State and occupies approximately 952,900 acres. The watershed includes parts of Oneida, Madison, Onondaga, Lewis, and Oswego Counties.  100% of the watershed is contained within New York State.

The majority of this watershed lies within the Ontario Plain and Finger Lakes Region. (CRA 101.NY1). A relatively small portion lies in the Tughill Plateau (CRA 141.NY1). 27% of the watershed is in farms. About 65% of the farmland acreage is cropland used mainly for hay, corn, and small grains associated with dairy operations. About 30% of the farmland acreage is in pastureland.

The watershed is primarily rural in nature, with some urban influence from the cities of Utica and Syracuse. The Oneida Indian Nation holds and operates farmland within the watershed. Elevations range from 380 feet to 425 feet above sea level in the lacustrine deposits and range from 425 feet to 600 feet on the till plains to the highest drumlins and hills.

The hills and particularly the well-formed drumlins, show molding both in form, and direction by the force of the glacier that overran the area. Average annual precipitation is 43 inches. Snowfall is heavy in winter, averaging 145 inches.

Average annual temperature 48OF. Average freeze-free period is 150 days. Surface water supplies are plentiful throughout the watershed area. Numerous towns and villages obtain water from wells or springs. Most rural residents depend on deep or shallow wells for their water supply. Many rural landowners have developed ponds as a supplemental source of water for livestock, fire protection, and recreational use.

In a few places, ponds that have a fast recharge rate and used for irrigation. Most of the soils are deep, medium textured and moderately fine textured. These soils have temperatures that range from 45 degrees F. to less than 59 degrees F. in the rooting depth. They generally are not dry for as long as 90 cumulative days in normal years. Area, Land Use and Land Cover Oneida.
 

Maps of the Oneida Watershed

The following documents require Adobe Reader.

Oneida Watershed map (PDF; 720 KB)

Oneida Watershed Maps by County

Lewis County (PDF; 582 KB)

Madison County (PDF; 627 KB)

Oneida County (PDF; 1 MB)

Onondaga County (PDF; 1.3 MB)

Oswego County (PDF; 760 KB)

Self-Assessment Workbook

By going through the CSP Self-Assessment Workbook, potential CSP participants will get a good idea about whether they are eligible for CSP at this time. Producers who may not be eligible can find out about programs that can help them achieve a higher level of conservation so that they may apply for CSP in the future.

The following document requires Adobe Reader.

2008 Self Assessment Workbook (PDF; 2.5 MB)

Enhancement Activity and Certification Sheets

• Activity Sheets

• Certification Sheets

Payment Information

The following document requires Adobe Reader.

New York CSP 2008 Payment Schedule (PDF; 60 KB)

Prior Years CSP Sign-Up Information

• 2006 CSP Information

• 2005 CSP Information

Contact Information

Resource Conservationist

Dianna Power
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
441 South Salina Street, Suite 354
Syracuse, New York 13202
Telephone: 315-477-6508

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