Gary L. Hawkins, Ph.D., Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Curt Lacy, Ph.D., Agricultural and Applied Economics
The Conservation Security Program or CSP is a new USDA program authorized under the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (2002 Farm Bill). The program is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS or NRCS) and is available nationally for producers of any size, crop and geographic location. It differs from traditional NRCS programs in that it is being implemented on a watershed basis rather than available to all producers in the state at the same time. New watersheds are selected for participation annually, so everyone will get a chance to participate. Farmers should get ready now to enhance their eligibility and improve their ranking for the program.
The CSP is different from most other NRCS programs in that it provides financial and technical support for ongoing stewardship on privately owned lands. The program’s motto is “Reward the best and motivate the rest.” CSP provides the financial and technical assistance to continue and enhance conservation practices for the improvement of soil, water, air, energy, and plant and animal life on working lands. These lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture and rangeland. Forest land is included if it is an incidental part of an agricultural operation.
The benefits gained from CSP will not only help the farmer increase and maintain conservation efforts, it will also improve natural resources that will in turn benefit all Americans.
As the educational arm of USDA, the Extension Service should be involved in educating producers about the opportunities of CSP and some, if not most, of the basic requirements for a farmer to enroll in the program. By having some knowledge of CSP, Cooperative Extension can help farmers get a particular farm, ranch, rangeland in-line with program requirements. Some potential things that could be noticed on a typical farm visit may include:
If the farm, ranch or pastureland ... |
Suggest ... |
Does not have a conservation plan. |
The farmer develop one with help from NRCS personnel. |
Has a large amount of erosion. |
Practices such as conservation tillage. |
Has an inefficient irrigation system. |
A retrofit of the system. |
Does not have good records of conservation practices being implemented. |
The development of a record keeping system. |
Has areas that are marginal for crop production but may be beneficial for wildlife habitat. |
Installing a buffer strip around the field or in the marginal lands to promote habitat for wildlife. |
Is not being rotationally grazed, where applicable. |
Development and implementation of a rotational grazing system, where applicable. |
Is not fertilizing according to soil test. |
Soil sampling to develop a nutrient management plan. |
By doing these things during a normal farm visit, county agents can help the producer increase his/her conservation stewardship, increase the farmer’s potential to be included in CSP, and improve and protect our natural resources. Since producers will also need to have some demonstration areas on their farms to receive the most financial benefit, county agents can help producers establish demonstration or applied research plots and help them host field days or other educational activities.
Check the NRCS web site or visit your local district conservationist to determine if your watershed is eligible. If 51 percent of the farm is in the selected watershed(s), the following questions have to be met as an introductory level of entry into CSP. If the farm or field is not in the selected watershed(s), then farmers/managers can start, continue or improve conservation stewardship practices to improve their qualifications to be included in the CSP when the watershed of interest is selected.
Questions for Entry into the CSP |
Answer Required by NRCS |
Do you share in the risk of producing crops or livestock on this operation? |
Yes |
Are you entitled to share in the crop or livestock available for marketing from the agricultural operation? |
Yes |
Do you have control of some or all of the land you manage for the life of the proposed 5- to 10-year contract period? |
Yes |
Is your average adjusted gross income less than or equal to $2.5 million or, if greater than $2.5 million, did 75% come from farming, ranching or forestry? |
Yes |
Is at least part of your land private agricultural land or Tribal land? |
Yes |
Is your land in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill? |
Yes or |
Was your cropland used for crop production or considered as part of a long-term rotation for 4 out of the past 6 years? |
Yes or |
Is this land currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program or Grassland Reserve Program? |
No or |
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| Figure 1. Improved pasture may be included if all conditions are met according to NRCS requirements. | Figure 2. The practice of conservation tillage can help meet the requirements of CSP. |
If the land in question is eligible (answered Yes or Not Applicable for all questions above) for the CSP program, a self-assessment workbook must be completed. These self-assessment questions get information on conservation practices used on-farm to protect soil, water, air and wildlife and determine the amount of possible financial assistance available. To get the self-assessment guide, contact your local NRCS office.
Even if the farm is not in the selected watershed(s), the self-assessment will provide you and the farmer with a guide to prepare the desired farm for future inclusion in the CSP.
When a farm is selected for inclusion in the CSP Program, the farm is placed into one of three Tiers based on the information provided with the self-assessment. The Tier Structure has three parts with different eligibility requirements, as shown in the following table (emphasis added by bold and capitalization of key parts).
Tier Level |
Tier Eligibility Requirements |
I |
• Producer must have addressed water quality* and soil quality** to the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) standards on PART of the agricultural operation prior to application. |
II |
• Producer must have addressed water quality and soil quality to the FOTG standards on the ENTIRE agricultural operation prior to application, and • Agree to address one other resource by the end of the contract period. |
III |
• Producer must have addressed ALL resource concerns to a resource management system level that meets the FOTG standards on the ENTIRE agricultural operation before application into the program. |
*Water quality practices include conservation tillage, filter strips, terraces, grassed waterways, managed access to streams, nutrient and pesticide management, prescribed grazing and irrigation water management. |
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** Soil quality practices include crop rotations, cover crops, tillage practices, prescribed grazing and providing adequate wind barriers. |
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Your local NRCS office can get you information concerning the selected watershed(s) and the information required for inclusion into the CSP.
The USDA-NRCS website http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp has comprehensive information about the program including copies of the self-assessment workbook, fact sheets and handouts on the CSP.
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Bulletin 1268/October, 2005
The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. Cooperative Extension, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability.
An Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
J. Scott Angle, Dean and Director