Maryland NRCS News Releases (2012)

Last Modified: 05/08/2012

Maryland Media Liaison:

Carol Hollingsworth, 443-482-2902

USDA 2008 Farm Bill

Information

NRCS Announces National Water Quality Initiative Conservation in Maryland

Up to $315,000 is available to agricultural producers in the Catoctin Creek Watershed

Annapolis, Md., May 8, 2012 — State Conservationist Jon Hall announced the launch of a new National Water Quality Initiative committed to improving impaired waterways in Maryland. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will manage the initiative by making funds available to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners in the selected watersheds.

“The Water Quality Initiative will further NRCS’ partnership efforts to improve water quality using voluntary actions on private lands,” Hall said. “In areas facing significant natural resource challenges, this initiative builds on the positive results of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative that NRCS and partners already have underway.”

Through this effort, eligible producers in the Catoctin Creek Watershed will invest in voluntary conservation actions to help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities. The selected watersheds were identified with help from state agencies, partners, and the NRCS State Technical Committee.

Using funds from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, NRCS will provide funding and technical assistance to producers to install conservation practices such as filter strips, stream fencing, and waste storage facilities in watersheds with impairments where the federal investment can make a difference to improve water quality.

“American farmers are good stewards of the environment, especially when they have the tools they need to protect or improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality,” said NRCS Chief Dave White. “We look forward to collaborating with producers in key watersheds to help them have a positive impact on streams with impaired water quality.

” The Catoctin Creek Watershed encompassed the southwestern portion of Frederick County and is framed by Catoctin Mountain on the east and South Mountain on the west. The Catoctin Creek watershed drains an area of 120 square miles, which includes areas of forested mountain slopes, agricultural valleys, and small towns. The area’s waters are impaired by sediments, nutrients, impacts to biological communities, and fecal coliform. The land use distribution in the watershed is approximately 43% agricultural, 42% forest/herbaceous, and 15% urban, with agricultural land mostly planted in row crops and pasture.

NRCS accepts applications for financial assistance on a continuous basis throughout the year. Contact the Frederick County USDA Service Center at 301-695-2803 to see if you are located in a selected watershed and to apply. All applications for funding consideration, during this fiscal year, must be received by June 15, 2012. This summer, NRCS will notify all applicants of the results and begin developing contracts with selected applicants. Since 1935, NRCS’s nationwide conservation delivery system works with private landowners to put conservation on the ground based on specific, local conservation needs, while accommodating state and national interests.

Fact Sheet
Map

Maryland National Water Quality Initiative Information

NRCS Maryland Seeking Proposals for Conservation Innovation Grants

The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Maryland is seeking proposals for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for fiscal year 2012. For fiscal year 2012, up to $300,000 is available for the Maryland statewide CIG competition. Grants to eligible entities and individuals may not exceed a maximum of $75,000 The CIG program is designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are due by 4pm on May 30th, 2012.

Additional Information

Final Applications for NRCS Organic Initiative Due June 1, 2012

Annapolis, Md., April 30, 2012 – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Jon Hall reminds potential applicants to contact their local NRCS office soon to find out if they are eligible for the agency’s Organic Initiative. Applications for the final ranking period of 2012 are due at NRCS offices by close of business on June 1, 2012. The NRCS Office Locator is available at http://go.usa.gov/Uo8.

“Organic farming in Maryland is growing, and NRCS is committed to helping these farmers implement conservation practices that have been proven beneficial to organic production,” said Hall. “The Organic Initiative makes financial and technical resources readily available to local growers to improve the management and productivity of their operation.”

Since FY 2009, NRCS has provided $450,000 in financial assistance to Maryland certified organic producers, those who want to make the transition to organic production, and producers who sell less than $5,000 in organic products annually. Approximately $50 million is available nationwide in FY 2012.

Part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Organic Initiative offers a wide array of conservation practices specifically designed for organic production. “Practices will help the selected applicants meet many requirements of their USDA Organic System Plans and stay in compliance with USDA’s National Organic Program,” Hall said.

The top five Organic Initiative conservation practices are cover crops, nutrient and pest management, seasonal high tunnels, crop rotation, and fencing.

This is the last opportunity for organic funding in 2012. While applications are accepted year-round, landowners are encouraged to visit their local office today. Learn more about the Organic Initiative at http://go.usa.gov/Uo9 and find out about other NRCS initiatives and programs at http://go.usa.gov/UoX.

Fact Sheet: Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative

NRCS Maryland Celebrates Volunteers in Action

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 19, 2012) --- “Our “Earth Team” volunteers are making a real environmental impact, not only in Maryland, but also across the Nation. Having volunteers working at our offices across Maryland provides additional staff support Helping People Help the Land,” said Jon Hall, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland. National Volunteer Week is celebrated from April 15-21, 2012. NRCS is recognizing National Volunteer week by thanking and honoring its Earth Team volunteers for their service to conservation. The Earth Team is the agency’s volunteer workforce. Nationally in fiscal year 2011, over 22,000 Earth Team volunteers donated 435,653 hours of service to NRCS worth $9.3 million.

The NRCS theme for this year is ‘We are Celebrating Earth Team Volunteers in Action.’ Nora De La Rosa is the new Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator in Maryland. “As the new coordinator, I am dedicated to expanding Earth Team Volunteer opportunities across Maryland and Washington, DC and hope National Volunteer Week will motivate others to volunteer their support of our conservation vision—‘Productive Lands and a Healthy Environment’ to help NRCS with its conservation mission.”

If you are interested in volunteering with NRCS Maryland, contact Nora De La Rosa at nora.delarosa@md.usda.gov to receive an interest form and application.

You can also learn more about the Earth Team Volunteer Program online at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/volunteers  or by calling (toll-free) 888-526-3227. Since being formed in 1985, over a half-million Earth Team Volunteers have donated $336 million worth of time helping NRCS with its conservation mission.

New Working Lands for Wildlife Targets Bog Turtle Habitat

Annapolis, Md., April 5, 2012– The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior announced a new partnership to use innovative approaches with farmers and forest landowners to restore and protect the habitats of declining wildlife species. Working Lands for Wildlife focuses conservation dollars and wildlife expertise nationwide on the recovery of seven at-risk species for 2012, including two species in Maryland. These species were chosen during a collaborative process that considered the species’ status, the role of private working lands, and the importance of these keystone habitats to other vulnerable and game species.

One of the species chosen for 2012 was the bog turtle in parts of four Maryland counties including: Carroll, Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil. The area’s mosaic of open, sunny, spring fed wetlands and riparian areas was once considered a population stronghold for the bog turtle. Today, however, the turtles are federally listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The threats to bog turtles, America’s smallest turtle, include wetland drainage, habitat degradation and fragmentation from land conversion, habitat succession due to loss of small dairy operations, invasive exotic and native plants, and illegal trade and collecting.

Private landowners own the majority of remaining bog turtle habitat in Maryland and have a tremendous opportunity to improve habitat for bog turtles. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will assist private land owners in the creation and maintenance of habitat necessary to sustain healthy populations of bog turtles. Restoration efforts will focus on proper grazing management to slow natural plant succession and minimize the encroachment of invasive native and exotic plant species.

Bog turtles are an indicator of water quality and wetland function; the wetland habitats they require provide important ecosystem services, including water purification, underground aquifer recharge, and floodwater retention. The wetlands also support many rare plants and animals.

NRCS funds from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) will share the cost of conservation practices with landowners in areas known to support bog turtles. Interested producers and landowners in priority areas who have bog turtle habitat on their lands can apply for WHIP on a continuous basis at their local NRCS field office. NRCS and USFWS staff will evaluate applications to determine whether the land contains bog turtle habitat and the potential for improvement or restoration.

For more information about Work Lands for Wildlife Bog Turtle habitat restoration, contact Steve Strano, Maryland NRCS, (443) 482-2928, steve.strano@md.usda.gov; or Julie Thompson Slacum, USFWS, (410) 573-4595, Julie_Thompson@fws.gov. For more information about NRCS programs or to find your local USDA Service Center, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

New Working Lands for Wildlife Targets Golden-Winged Warbler Habitat

Annapolis, Md., April 5, 2012– The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior announced a new partnership to use innovative approaches with farmers and forest landowners to restore and protect the habitats of declining wildlife species. Working Lands for Wildlife focuses conservation dollars and wildlife expertise nationwide on the recovery of seven at-risk species for 2012, including two species in Maryland. These species were chosen during a collaborative process that considered the species’ status, the role of private working lands, and the importance of these keystone habitats to other vulnerable and game species.

One of the species chosen for 2012 is the golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) in parts of three Maryland counties: Garrett, Allegany, and Washington. The vast forested lands, grasslands, and forb-rich landscape of the Appalachian Mountains were once considered a population stronghold for the golden winged warbler. Today, however, the population is at-risk for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The most common explanations of population declines point to the loss and degradation of early successional habitat. Golden-winged warblers and many other species, like ruffed grouse or woodcock, depend upon shrubby, idle vegetated areas like forest clear-cuts, alder swamps, utility rights-of way and other similar habitats for breeding. Several factors have contributed to the decline of these habitats including direct losses to development, re-forestation of farmland, fire suppression, and changes in agricultural and forestry practices.

The Appalachian region offers a tremendous opportunity to improve habitat for golden-winged warbler and other wildlife, including the American woodcock. Providing structurally diverse vegetation for breeding and foraging offers a great opportunity to combat declines in golden-winged warblers and other early successional species.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will assist private land owners in the creation and maintenance of habitat necessary to sustain breeding populations of golden-winged warblers. This project will focus on the creation, management and maintenance of early successional habitat in close association with forested landscapes, or adjacent to active agriculture or pastureland.

NRCS funds from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) will share the cost of conservation practices with landowners in areas known to support golden-winged warblers. Interested producers and landowners in priority areas who have warbler habitat on their lands can apply for WHIP on a continuous basis at their local NRCS field office. NRCS and USFWS staff will evaluate applications to determine whether the land contains golden-winged warbler habitat and the potential for improvement or restoration.

Sign-up Deadline for oyster program set for May 4, 2012

Annapolis, Md., April 2, 2012 – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland today announced a May 4 application deadline for the Oyster Bed Restoration and Management program. NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible applicants to restore oyster beds throughout Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

“Restoring oyster habitat is a critical part of our on-going efforts to improve natural resources in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,” State Conservationist Jon Hall said. “I encourage all interested watermen and farmers to visit NRCS in their local USDA service center to sign-up today.”

NRCS has dedicated $315,000 in conservation funding to address the declining habitat of the oyster population in Maryland. Program options include bottom dredging to uncover lost oyster beds, allowing natural spat set, placing new bed, and planting spat on cultch.

Applicants must currently hold a Maryland Department of Natural Resources submerged land/on-bottom shellfish aquaculture lease or have deeded riparian rights to the area. Applications received by May 4 will be ranked and prioritized and considered for 2012 funding.

Healthy oyster beds provide benefits including a complex living habitat and a biodiverse ecosystem for many species of fish, crabs, mussels, barnacles, and other reef dwellers. Oysters serve as high protein food source for migratory waterfowl and other marine organisms. The water filtering capacity of oyster beds improves water quality as well as water clarity.

Individuals interested in learning more about this conservation opportunity should contact their local USDA Service Center, or visit www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.

NRCS Offers Grants and Agreements Training to Conservation Partners

Annapolis, Md., March 27, 2012– The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland is offering a free training seminar on “Grants and Agreements -- Supporting NRCS Conservation Programs” - to potential and current conservation partners. The training will take place on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 from 9 am to Noon at the Maryland Association of Realtors Building, 200 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland.

The seminar is designed to explain the various steps in applying for and implementing Federal grants and agreements. The training will include discussion about:

• The difference between a grant and an agreement
• The application process for grants and agreements
• How to develop an application that meets the awarding agency’s specifications
• Evaluating the impact a grant award will have on your organization
• Submitting reports on financial accounting, project progress and evaluation
• Working with your Federal NRCS technical point of contact

During the seminar, there will be frequent opportunities for participants to ask questions and receive information that will assist them in submitting future proposals and managing current awards for NRCS grants and agreements.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required by Friday, April 6, 2012. To register or obtain additional information, contact Denise Parker at (443) 482-2930 or denise.parker@md.usda.gov. Participants who require special accommodation should inform Denise Parker when they register.

The NRCS and Conservation Professional Training Program Present: The CRP Readiness Initiative

Cambridge, Md. – On April 10-11, conservation professionals have the opportunity to join nearly 200 other colleagues across the country who have already signed up to help farmers and landowners preserve soil, improve water quality, and increase wildlife habitat through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Readiness Initiative. A free two-day CRP training workshop will be held at the Cambridge Holiday Inn Express, 2715 Ocean Gateway, Cambridge. The registration deadline is April 2nd. The workshop is presented by the Conservation Professional Training Program and sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is part of a national initiative to train a group of conservation professionals and independent consultants to provide the planning, implementation, and management services associated with the Conservation Reserve Program.

“We are thrilled to have so much interest in our national training program so far. These conservation professionals emerging from our trainings now have detailed knowledge of national and state CRP conservation practices. They are ready to create, implement and maintain CRP conservation plans and ultimately help preserve our most fragile rural lands,” said Kevin Erb, Project Co-Director.

A team led by the University of Wisconsin-Extension and comprised of national university extension staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff, and representatives from NRCS partner agencies and organizations has collaborated to streamline the trainings and make them accessible, convenient, and consistent across all states.

"With more people trained to help landowners, we expect more landowners to take advantage of the Conservation Reserve Program to protect our natural resources," said Erb. The Conservation Reserve Program gives farmers and landowners technical assistance and a financial incentive to reduce soil erosion and runoff, leading to improved water quality and wildlife habitat. Upon acceptance under a general or continuous program signup, a conservation professional trained in CRP planning helps a landowner assess his or her unique parcel of land, covering topics like land slope, cropping history, soil type, cultivation methods, and water quality. Upon completion of an assessment, the landowner and the conservation professional work together to create a CRP-conservation plan.

Natural Resources Conservation Service employees and conservation partners usually provide the technical services associated with CRP planning, but a wave of upcoming renewals has prompted a new effort to recruit and train a broader range of professionals to help meet planning demands. “The primary goal of the Conservation Readiness Initiative is to increase the capacity for states to manage CRP signups. We hope to train more people to provide technical service to landowners,” said Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist for NRCS in Wisconsin. Independent conservation professionals, registered technical service providers, members of conservation associations, and employees of organizations with formal connections to NRCS are encouraged to participate.

Following the initial two-day training, participants in the CRP Readiness Initiative will have the opportunity to work directly with a project mentor, participate in online forums and webinars, and sign up for supplemental training courses as needed. During the summer of 2012, the training curriculum will be transitioned to an online format, which will be available for a course fee. Some of the topics to be covered during the free core workshops include: understanding the landowner’s objectives, developing a CRP plan according to national and state guidelines, and CRP best practices for conservation.

For more information, contact Kristen Saacke-Blunk, CRP Readiness Initiative Northeastern Media Contact, at (814) 863-8756 or ksaackeblunk@psu.edu. To register for the Maryland workshop, visit http://conservation-training.uwex.edu/crpworkshops.

Visit http://conservation-training.uwex.edu/media for full media kit.

This material is based upon work supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agency number 68-3A75-11-268, CDFA number 10.902. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative Targets Local Resource Concerns

NRCS seeks agricultural producer applications for financial, technical assistance

Annapolis, Md., February 14, 2012–Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland announced that $7.6 million is available to help farmers and ranchers implement conservation practices, as part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative. CBWI helps producers and other private landowners and managers to implement conservation practices that protect the watershed’s soil and water resources and help maintain productive working agricultural lands.

CBWI helps farmers and forest landowner’s plant stream buffers, restore wetlands, properly manage manure and implement other conservation practices as part of USDA’s watershed restoration efforts.

CBWI is one of 15 Landscape Conservation Initiatives that address resource concerns of national importance by helping America’s landowners implement voluntary conservation practices to protect water quality, improve wildlife habitat and enhance the long-term sustainability of producers’ operations.

“Through landscape initiative partnerships we’re maximizing conservation efforts to address some of our most pressing natural resource challenges,” NRCS Chief Dave White said. “The result is far-reaching and long-lasting environmental benefits for the Nation.”

In coordination with local, state and federal agencies and organizations, NRCS’ Landscape Conservation Initiatives use a systems approach that focuses technical and financial assistance to implement a suite of conservation practices to address specific resource concerns. Through the CBWI farmers and ranchers are incorporating conservation practices to improve water quality such as planting cover crops into their agricultural operations.

“Maryland producers continue to express interest in utilizing NRCS financial and technical resources to implement conservation practices,” Maryland State Conservationist Jon Hall said. “CBWI allows NRCS to focus this assistance on water quality improvement, leading to productive lands and a healthy environment.”

Producers interested in becoming a part of the CBWI or any other NRCS programs and services, should contact their local USDA Service Center, or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov for more information.

2012 Conservation Easement Applications Due February 10, 2012

$5.5 million Available in Conservation Easement Funding for Maryland Landowners

Annapolis, Md., January 11, 2012– Private landowners interested in protecting their farmland or wetland with this year’s funding are encouraged to get their applications in soon. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland has set Feb. 10 as the deadline for 2012 first round funding consideration for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program and Wetland Reserve Program.

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a voluntary easement program that helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agricultural production. The program provides matching funds to state or local governments and nongovernmental organizations with existing farmland protection programs to purchase conservation easements. Interested landowners must work with a local entity to apply. These permanent easements protect agricultural land, and important farmland soils, by prohibiting conversion to non-agricultural uses.

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial assistance to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their property. WRP helps to reduce flooding, improve water quality by filtering sediment and chemicals, recharge groundwater and more. In addition, these wetlands provide food and shelter for migratory birds and other wetland dependent species.

WRP offers landowners a combination of permanent or 30-year easements, in addition to 10-year restoration agreements, in exchange for retiring and restoring drained woodland and marginal land from agriculture. In 2012, landowners may receive up to $8,170 per acre for permanent easements. For 30-year easements, applicants can receive 75 percent of the permanent easement value.

For FRPP and WRP, USDA pays all costs associated with recording the easement in the local land records office. Landowners voluntarily limit future use of the land, yet retain private ownership.

While NRCS accepts easement program applications throughout the year, the agency plans to make 2012 funding decisions from the pool of applications received by Feb. 10 first. Subsequent ranking periods will occur until all funds are exhausted. Unfunded eligible applicants will remain on file until additional funding becomes available.

To participate in WRP, private landowners may submit applications directly to NRCS. For FRPP, state and local governments or nongovernmental organizations should submit applications directly to the NRCS State Office. Interested landowners are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center for more information. Service Center locations and more information on the programs can be found at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.

NRCS's natural resources conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters. Public benefits include enhanced natural resources that help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality while supporting continued economic development, recreation, and scenic beauty.

Conservation Programs Deadline Approaching

$14 million Available in Conservation Funding for Maryland Farmers

Annapolis, Md., January 11, 2012– An important deadline is coming up for farmers, forest, and agricultural landowners who want to sign up for Fiscal Year 2012 Farm Bill Conservation programs. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland has set the deadline for the initial round of program funding consideration as Friday, February 17, 2012. This deadline includes the Maryland Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI).

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement projects that will improve their natural resources. CBWI is a part of EQIP, and provides technical and financial help to producers to minimize excess nutrients and sediments in order to restore, preserve, and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

The deadline for NRCS’s National Initiatives (EQIP Organic, Seasonal High Tunnel, and On-Farm Energy) remains February 3, 2012. Through these initiatives NRCS seeks to help producers who are certified organic growers or working to achieve organic certification install conservation practices for organic production, help eligible producers plan and implement high tunnels, and help producers to develop farm energy audits that assess energy consumption on an operation, and develop energy conservation recommendations.

Applications for NRCS programs can be submitted throughout the year, but those received after the deadline will be held until the next cut-off date.

In Fiscal Year 2011, Maryland NRCS obligated over $18 million in EQIP and CBWI funds statewide. However, the number of applications received far exceeded the amount of funding available. Agricultural and forest landowners are encouraged to apply immediately to ensure consideration for this funding cycle.

NRCS's natural resources conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters. Public benefits include enhanced natural resources that help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality while supporting continued economic development, recreation, and scenic beauty.

For additional information, landowners are encouraged to contact their local NRCS Service Center. Service Center locations and more information on the programs can be found at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.

Conservation Innovation Grant Pre-proposals Due January 31

For fiscal year 2012, NRCS is offering a national Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) funding opportunity focus in the following areas: Nutrient Management, Energy Conservation, Soil Health, Wildlife, and CIG Projects Assessment. The deadline to submit pre-proposal applications is January 31, 2012. Pre-proposals should support large-scale demonstration projects that test and prove original approaches to conserving America’s private lands. See below or attached for more details.

To view the complete Announcement of Program Funding, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/.

To apply electronically, visit http://www.grants.gov/.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces Sign-Up Period for Conservation Stewardship Program

Annapolis, Md., December 12, 2011 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that the ranking period cut-off date for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is January 13, 2012. Maryland producers interested in CSP should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline so that their applications can be considered during the first ranking period of 2012.

“CSP is one of our most popular conservation programs, and we expect to receive many applications,” NRCS Chief Dave White said. “I encourage all farmers and ranchers who are interested in applying to contact their local NRCS office as soon as possible so they can meet the deadline.”

CSP is offered in Maryland through continuous sign-ups. The program provides many conservation benefits including improvement of water and soil quality, wildlife habit enhancements and adoption of conservation activities that address the effects of climate change. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest land and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe.

A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help potential applicants determine if CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations and potential payments. It is available from local NRCS offices and on the CSP Web page.

As part of the CSP application process, applicants will work with NRCS field personnel to complete the resource inventory using a Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT). The CMT determines the conservation performance for existing and new conservation activities. The applicant’s conservation performance will be used to determine eligibility, ranking and payments.

In 2010 alone, nearly 21,000 applicants enrolled in CSP, putting additional conservation on 25.2 million acres, about the size of the state of Kentucky, to improve water and soil quality, enhance wildlife habitat and address the effects of climate change.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General West Announce Process to Resolve Discrimination Claims of Hispanic and Women Farmers En Español (PDF)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2011 – As part of continued efforts to close the chapter on allegations that discrimination occurred at USDA in past decades, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General Tony West today announced the establishment of a process to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans.

News Release (February 25, 2011)
News Release en Espanol (February 25, 2011
Women and Hispanic Claims Program

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