USDA has announced the final rule for the Conservation Stewardship Program. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack also announced that the current signup period has been extended to June 25th.
Under the final rules the program retains a number of features including:
- CSP pays participants for conservation performance – the higher the performance, the higher the payment.
- Producers get credit both for conservation measures they have already implemented and for new measures they agree to add.
- CSP is offered in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Pacific and Caribbean areas through continuous sign-up, with announced cut-off dates for ranking and funding applications.
But there are some changes, effective immediately:
- Higher payment rate for additional conservation performance. USDA is implementing a split payment structure, with one payment rate for existing conservation activities and a higher payment rate for new activities. This is expected to encourage producers to apply more new activities and thereby generate greater environmental benefits.
- Higher payment limit. The total contract limitation for joint operations is increased from $200,000 to $400,000, with annual payment limits increased from $40,000 to $80,000 to fairly compensate joint operations that produce environmental benefit levels needed to earn the payments.
- New minimum payment. To directly encourage participation by small-scale, historically underserved producers, the rule establishes a minimum payment of $1,000.
- Pastured cropland. “Pastured cropland” is added as a new designation with a higher payment than “pastureland” because of the greater income foregone by producers who maintain a grass-based livestock production system on land suitable for cropping.
- Enhancements. Some conservation enhancements work better when implemented as a system and under the new rule are offered as enhancement “bundles.” Participants who implement such comprehensive bundles get higher rankings and higher payments.
- Resource-conserving crop rotation. In response to extensive public comment, the definition of “resource-conserving crop rotation” is revised to require the use of grass and/or legumes. Since resource-conserving crops receive supplemental payments under CSP, the rule change ensures that the crops provide a sufficient level of environmental benefit.
Other changes in the regulation give producers greater flexibility in establishing their eligibility to apply for CSP and in certifying their control of the land.
Potential applicants are encouraged to use the CSP self-screening checklist to determine whether CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist, which highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations, and payments, and additional information about CSP, may be obtained from the national CSP Web site, your state NRCS website or at your local NRCS office.
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