Conservation Security Program

Sign-Up Begins March 28

RICHMOND, March 22, 2005 - USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announces sign-up for the Conservation Security Program will begin March 28 and run until May 27 for farmers in the Lower Rappahannock, Mattaponi and South Fork Shenandoah River Watersheds.  CSP is available to producers in parts of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, Caroline, Westmoreland, Richmond, Lancaster, Essex, Middlesex, Orange, King William, King & Queen, Augusta, Rockingham, Page and Warren Counties who farm within the watershed boundaries. 

 CSP is a voluntary program that offers payments to those farmers meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations.  It rewards model conservationists and encourages other producers to work to meet the same high standards of environmental excellence for future enrollment.

 “CSP is unlike any other USDA conservation program,” said NRCS State Conservationist, M. Denise Doetzer.   “CSP represents the first time agricultural producers are being paid in recognition of their ongoing stewardship and to maintain and further enhance that conservation commitment.  

 CSP offers base payments with an opportunity to receive enhancement payments for additional and new conservation practices. Payments will be made using three tiers of conservation contracts.  Contracts are capped at $20,000, $35,000 and $45,000 annually and will last for 5 years for Tier I and 5 to 10 years for Tier II and Tier III.

Sign Up Process
Sign up for CSP is different from other NRCS programs.  Farmers must complete a self-assessment workbook -available on the web and local NRCS offices- to determine if their operations meet the minimum requirements of the program and qualify for program participation. The self-assessment process is completed using a self-screening questionnaire for each land use to be enrolled.

The producer will submit the workbook to local NRCS personnel during the sign-up period to go over any additional needed documentation.  NRCS will then determine in which enrollment category the producer qualifies.  After sign-up ends, applications will be approved by category based on available funding.   

Farmers must have an active interest in the agricultural operation and have control of the land for the life of the contract. 

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