Officials at the agricultural non-profit Michael Fields Agricultural Institute are urging farmers interested in receiving compensation for existing and additional conservation efforts to apply to United States Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardship Program by Feb. 3 for consideration in 2017.
“With over 70 acres enrolled nationwide, CSP is the largest conservation program in the United States,” Michael Fields Policy Director Margaret Krome said. “It also has been invaluable to Wisconsin farmers, and the deadline is approaching fast for 2017 applicants.”
The theory of the CSP’s design is to both reward farmers for existing conservation and help them improve or create new conservation practices on their land. CSP contracts require a five-year commitment with the option to renew. Payments are based on maintaining existing conservation operations on the land and/or implementing additional activities.
Krome noted that after re-designing the CSP over the past two years, the USDA recently announced changes in the program, including new tools to assess farmers’ eligibility and rank applications, a new minimum payment of $1,500, added flexibility for mid-contract changes, expanded options for enhancements, practices, and bundles of practices, and a redesigned payment structure.
The institute officials encourage farmers to visit their local Natural Resources Conservation Service office soon or fill out this form by the cut-off date. They noted that farmers can also get information about CSP from a Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program, prepared by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
The guide includes enrollment guidance, key definitions, explanations of the ranking and payment system, and helpful hints for accessing the program and is available for free download on the NSAC website at sustainableagriculture.net/publications.
Although farmers can apply for the CSP at any point of the year, the deadline to apply for 2017 participation is Feb. 3. Farmers who do not submit an application before this deadline will have to wait until 2018 for their application to be considered.
