USDA Announces Conservation Security Program Signup

Nashville, TN — The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is informing landowners in middle Tennessee that they may be eligible for the USDA’s Conservation Security Program (CSP). Farmers and other landowners living in the Red River and the Upper Duck River watersheds may apply for funding through NRCS.

The Red River watershed includes all or parts of Cheatham, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart, and Sumner counties. Upper Duck River watershed counties are Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, and Williamson. CSP signup runs from April 18-May 16, 2008.

CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, agricultural working lands by rewarding the best conservation farmers. State Conservationist Kevin Brown says CSP is a unique program. “We want to reward our best agriculture conservation producers for practicing proven conservation techniques. I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in CSP to make sure to attend a local informational meeting in their area.” Public meetings to discuss the program with potential applicants are being planned.

Payments can include three components: 1) an annual stewardship component for the base level of conservation treatment, 2) an annual component for maintenance of existing conservation practices, and 3) an enhancement component for exceptional conservation effort. Enhancement activities could include limited pesticide applications, renewable energy generation, and widening existing riparian forest buffers for restoring critical stream habitat.

To apply for CSP, NRCS asks potential participants to complete a CSP self-assessment workbook—available on the Web or from local NRCS offices—to find out if their operation meets the requirements of the program and qualifies for program participation. When this process is completed, the producer submits the CSP workbook to the local NRCS office during the sign-up period and meets with NRCS personnel to go over any additional needed documentation. NRCS will then determine if eligibility requirements are met and provide options for the producer’s decision on enrollment category placement.

For more information about CSP eligibility and signup, visit the NRCS in Tennessee website at: http://www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov/ or contact your local District Conservationist at the nearest USDA Service Center.