The next deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applications to be considered for funding this year is February 10, 2023. Through CSP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners earn payments for expanding conservation activities while maintaining agricultural production on their land. CSP also encourages adoption of new technologies and management techniques.
“CSP continues to be a very effective tool for private landowners working to achieve their conservation and management goals,” said Jamie Keith, Acting State Conservationist for Wisconsin. “It is the largest conservation program in the United States with more than 70 million acres of productive agricultural and forest land enrolled.”
Changes in the 2018 Farm Bill authorize NRCS to accept new CSP enrollments from 2020?2023 and makes additional improvements to the program. Some highlights include the following:
- NRCS now enrolls eligible, high-ranking applications based on dollars rather than acres.
- Higher payment rates are now available under the 2018 Farm Bill for certain conservation activities, including cover crops and resource conserving crop rotations.
- NRCS now provides specific support for organic and for transitioning to organic, production activities through CSP.
While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline to ensure their applications are considered for 2023 funding.
Categories: Wisconsin, Business, Sustainable Agriculture