FARMERS: Conservation Stewardship Program Sign Up Announced

[Season Burnett, KCCSAC Director]

Conservation Stewardship Program Sign Up Announced
August 10 through September 30

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced the first
farmer sign up period for the new Conservation Stewardship Program
(CSP). The CSP will make payments to farmers for maintaining
existing conservation practices and for adopting additional practices
on cropland, grassland, improved pasture, rangeland, non-industrial
private forestland and tribal lands. Payment will also be made for
adopting resource conserving crop rotations.

Farmers can submit applications at their local Natural Resource
Conservation District offices between August 10th and September 30th
to be considered for this 12.8 million acre sign up. Enrollment for
the new CSP is nationwide and the program is not limited to certain
watersheds.

Application will be a two step process:
• Step One: Farmers must submit a short, basic application to NRCS
by September 30th. NRCS has developed a self screening tool to help
farmers evaluate their eligibility and suitability for the program.
• Step Two: Farmers who submit a basic application will then work
with NRCS staff on a more comprehensive assessment of the farm's
existing conservation baseline and the proposed additional practices
and crop rotations for the 2010 through 2014 crop years. NRCS will
use a new software system called the Conservation Measurement Tool
(CMT) to assign points by which all applications will be ranked.
Farmers who submit the basic application to participate may then work
with NRCS to complete the CMT at any time between mid-September and
the end of October.


Conservation Activities

NRCS has provided a list of practices and enhancements that are
considered by the CMT in assigning points for newly adopted
conservation activities. Many of the same activities are also
reflected in the baseline section of the CMT used to measure existing
conservation on the farm today.

CSP targets practices that conserve or improve soil, water, air,
energy, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat. Practices that sequester
carbon and reduce greenhouse gasses are also rewarded. Among the over
70 activities included are continuous cover cropping, resource-
conserving crop rotation, management intensive rotational grazing,
advanced IPM, organic cropping and livestock systems, prairie
restoration, pollinator habitat, and a variety of nutrient management
and water and energy conservation techniques.


State Resource Concerns

States pick between three and five priority resource concerns for
their state or for regions within the state such as water quality. CSP
applicants must demonstrate that they already meet a minimum
sustainability level called the "stewardship threshold" for at least
one priority resource concern and that they will address at least one
additional resource concern to the stewardship threshold level during
the 5-year contract period. Applications that address more resource
concerns or that treat them more thoroughly will be ranked more
favorably by the CMT and receive higher payments. To find out your
state's priority resource of concern contact your NRCS state office.


Payment Rates

CSP payments are a reflection of land use type (crop, pasture, range,
etc.) and environmental ranking points. Overall CSP payment rates are
expected to average $18 per acre nationwide. The rate, however, will
vary by land type and the details and total environmental benefits of
each contract. Payments will be made in the fall of each year
beginning in 2010. Payments are limited to no more than $40,000 per
farm per year.


Sign up Assistance

NSAC members, the National Center for Appropriate Technology and the
Center for Rural Affairs are providing sign up assistance to
producers. The Center for Rural Affairs is offering a Farm Bill
Helpline to answer questions and provide assistance on the CSP and
other conservation programs. Call (402) 687-2100 and ask for the
Helpline. The National Center for Appropriate Technology is also
offering phone assistance. Call 1-800 346-9140 (English) or
1-800-411-3222 (Spanish). A wealth of information will also be posted
by NCAT on the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)
website.

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
110 Maryland Avenue NE Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: (202) 547-5754 Fax: (202) 547-1837
in...@sustainableagriculture.net