The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting new applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Farm and forest landowners may apply by Feb. 27 for possible 2015 funding.
CSP encourages agricultural producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations.
Applications can be made at any time at all USDA Service Centers, but only applications received by Feb. 27 will be ranked for funding in 2015. The program is open to all farmers, regardless of size or type of operation.
In 2014, 450 Wisconsin farmers and forestland owners enrolled in CSP, with an average payment of $6,900 per contract. More than $3.2 million in payments will be made to those farm families this year and more than $16 million over the course of the five-year contract.
“For many farmers, CSP offers reward and recognition for the conservation they are already doing, plus a little extra incentive to try a few more or new practices,” said Jeff Maroszek, conservationist for Oconto and Marinette county.
Maroszek encouraged interested farmers to apply now to be considered for funding.
Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, nonindustrial private forestland and tribal agricultural lands.
For the 2014 sign up, average payments in Wisconsin were $21 per acre for cropland, $14 per acre for pasture and $4 per acre for woodland. Payments are made annually for each of the five years of the contract. CSP is open to small and large operations, with farms already enrolled ranging from just a couple of acres to over 4,000 acres of cropland.
Farmers will need to document their current and proposed conservation practices, which will be used to rank applications and determine payments. NRCS field staff will also conduct on-site field verification of applicants’ information.
For information, call 920-834-5688, ext. 3, go to www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov or visit the NRCS office at the Oconto USDA Service Center, 111 Arbutus Ave., Oconto.
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