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USDA REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NEW CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM
Mary Cressel (202) 690-0547
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 10, 2003—USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief
Bruce Knight today announced that the advance notice of proposed rulemaking and
request for comments on the Conservation Security Program (CSP) will be
released for publication in the Federal Register. This is a new program authorized
in the 2002 Farm Bill.
The advance notice gives the public the opportunity to comment on key issues
that have been raised regarding implementation of the program. The issues are
presented in the advance notice.
“Comments gathered during the 30-day comment period will help us develop a
proposed rule,” Knight said. “Then, the public will have another opportunity to
provide input during the comment period for the proposed rule before a final
rule is published. We want this to be the best program possible.”
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, prairie land, improved pasture
and rangeland, as well as certain forested land that is an incidental part of an
agriculture operation.
“The intent of CSP is to support ongoing conservation stewardship of
agricultural lands by providing assistance to producers to maintain and enhance
natural resources,” Knight said.
CSP has a unique role among USDA conservation programs. It identifies and
rewards those farmers and ranchers 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.
Comments must be received in writing within 30 days of the date that the advance
notice is published in the Federal Register. The advance notice and additional
information on CSP can be found at
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/products.html.
Additional information about the Farm Bill can be found at
http://www.usda.gov/farmbill/index.html.
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