Sign-Up for New Conservation Stewardship Program Starts August 10

Michigan agricultural producers and forest owners can begin signing up for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Conservation Stewardship Program on August 10 with the first signup period cutoff scheduled for September 30. The voluntary program offers program payments to producers that maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations.

The Conservation Stewardship Program is a new program created under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. CSP is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Lands eligible for the program include cropland, grassland, prairie, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forestland and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Eligible applicants may include individual landowners, legal entities, and Indian tribes.

Michigan to Receive $1.5 Million for Water Conservation and Quality Improvement

Funding Targeted to St. Joseph River and Kalamazoo Watersheds in SW counties

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White announced nearly $58 million for water conservation and water quality improvements on agricultural working lands. Included in the funding is $1.5 million for the St. Joseph River and Kalamazoo River watersheds in southwest Michigan.

The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) promotes ground and surface water conservation and improves water quality by helping farmers and ranchers implement agricultural water enhancement activities. Producers within the two watersheds can apply for financial assistance through AWEP between August 3 and August 21.

Three Organizations Selected for Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

Three areas in Michigan are eligible for over $1 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture financial assistance to address local natural resource concerns. The funding is the result of three conservation organizations being selected to participate in the USDA’s Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative.

Proposals from the The Nature Conservancy, the Conservation Resource Alliance and the Huron Conservation District were selected. The Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The organizations will not receive any direct funding from the initiative but NRCS will set aside about $1.1 million in financial assistance from its existing conservation programs.