Conservation Stewardship Program

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reminds Missouri farmers, ranchers and foresters of a January 7, 2011, deadline to apply for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) benefits.

"CSP has a continuous sign up, but only applications received by January 7 will be eligible for the next round of funding," says State Conservationist J.R. Flores.

CSP is a voluntary program designed to encourage participants to adopt additional conservation practices and improve, maintain and manage existing ones. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, and non-industrial private forestland.

"CSP is one of our most popular conservation programs," Flores says. "It rewards participants for conservation measures they have already implemented and for new measures they agree to add."

NRCS is in the process of mailing CSP payments to Missouri producers whose applications were submitted and approved during previous funding periods. NRCS is distributing more than $38 million to Missouri landowners as a result of about 3,200 contracts approved through CSP and its predecessor, the Conservation Security Program.

To sign up for CSP, or to get more information about it and other NRCS programs, contact the NRCS office serving your county. Look in the phone book under "U.S. Government, Department of Agriculture," or access this website.