The 2020 sign-up period for farmers interested in enrolling in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has begun.
CSP is the nation’s largest working lands conservation program. Administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), it provides technical and financial assistance for farmers and ranchers looking to implement enhanced conservation practices on their operations.
With a wide variety of conservation practices to choose from, including cover crops, resource-conserving crop rotation, grazing management, and conservation buffers, producers can work with their local technicians to build a contract that works best for them. CSP contracts are five years in length.
“The Conservation Stewardship Program offers a valuable opportunity for farmers and ranchers to increase conservation on their operations,” said Anna Johnson, policy manager for the Center for Rural Affairs. “The conservation practices it supports, such as cover crops, crop rotations, advanced grazing practices, and a host of others, are the bedrock of land stewardship for family farms and ranches.”
Application deadlines vary by state. Check with your local NRCS office to confirm your deadline.
Farmers interested in applying should call, not visit, their local NRCS office. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA service centers are taking precautions by conducting business by phone or online only until further notice.
