October 21st, 2009
From Green Right Now Reports
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in California said it has received a strong response to the new Conservation Stewardship Program. Applications were received from 412 California landowners, representing 534,101 acres of farm and ranchland and 85,527 acres of forestland for the program that compensates producers for high levels of stewardship and encourages them to undertake additional conservation practices and management.
The 2008 Farm Bill program was made available for the first time beginning in September, 2009.
“California’s agricultural producers respond consistently and positively to the voluntary incentives approach to environmental protection,” Acting State Conservationist Gayle Norman said in a statement. “This just provides additional evidence that our conservation-minded producers and landowners want to attain higher levels of conservation stewardship.”
Congress capped enrollment nationally at 12,769,000 acres per year. Applicants will compete within state and within pools for the same land use and will be told in November whether their application has been accepted. If not, they will have the option to participate in the second sign-up period, which runs through January 2010.
Once the participant has been approved for funding, he or she must develop a conservation stewardship plan and commit to implementing it. The program’s payment rates will be based on a combination of points determined by the producer’s current and planned conservation enhancements. USDA said the payments are based on the cost of the stewardship activities undertaken, income forgone, and environmental benefits achieved.
Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forestland, and agricultural land under jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Eligible applicants include individual landowners, Indian tribes, and legal entities.
For information about CSP, producers can visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/new_csp/csp.html or contact their local NRCS field office.
