Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic location.

Conservation Stewardship Program Fact Sheet (PDF 45 KB)

Conservation Activity List Ranking Period One 2012

FY 2012 Ranking Period One CSP Extension News Release

FY 2012 Ranking Period One CSP Sign-up News Release

FY 2012 Ranking Period One Job Sheets

FY 2012 Ranking Period One Activity List

How Do I get Started?

First, producers interested in CSP need to fill out the Conservation Stewardship Program Application (PDF 40KB), and turn it in to your local NRCS office. Secondly, all producers must complete a self-assessment to determine their eligibility. Self-assessment worksheets are available at the local NRCS offices or are available online (see below for link.) Completed worksheets should be taken to local NRCS offices along with proof of control of the land and maps of the property. If you are not eligible for CSP, you may be eligible for other conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program, and others. 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.

To complete the Self-Assessment on-line, go to CSP Self-Assessment.

The assessment will help you:
            1. Determine if you meet the basic eligibility requirements,
            2. Document your stewardship work--including conservation
                practices, and
            3. Prepare a benchmark inventory documenting conservation
                treatments you have implemented.

Applications in Georgia will need to adequately address one of the four priority natural resource concerns at the end of the contract period. The four ranking concerns are:

1.    Water Quality

2.    Water Quantity

3.    Soil Quality

4.    Soil Erosion.

Two ranking pools have been established to rank applications with similar resource concerns, one for north Georgia and one for south Georgia. The areas were not selected by geography. They were selected because of the similarities of the resource concerns in those areas.

Conservation Measurement Tool Inventory Questions

As part of the CSP application process, you'll work with NRCS field personnel to complete your resource inventory using a Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT). The CMT determines the conservation performance for existing and additional conservation activities.

The documents below are copies of the resource inventory questions, grouped by land use. You can download and review the questions, and begin drafting responses to start resource inventory process before you complete the CMT in your local NRCS office.

CMT Tool Crop Questions (PDF 59KB)
CMT Tool Forest General Questions (PDF 10KB)
CMT Tool Forest Questions (PDF 15KB)
CMT Tool Ag Land General Questions (PDF 10KB)
CMT Tool Pasture Questions (PDF 16KB)
CMT Tool Water Questions

For More Information, please contact:

Assistant State Conservationist - Programs

706-546-2272