 CSP is an innovative conservation program that rewards agricultural
producers for the conservation that they already have in place and
provides funding to do more. Producers who get into the program
receive a five-year contract with a payment cap of $200,000. In 2009
Illinois had 175,298 acres enrolled in CSP, which totaled over $4
million in payments to farmers, ranchers and forest owners.
Interested producers must submit an application to their local
Natural Resources Conservation Service office by June 11 to be
considered for this year's ranking period.
"I manage my forests to maximize their health and productivity,"
says Josh Brown of Jackson County, who received a 2009 CSP contract.
"CSP payments help with the cost of invasive species control, timber
stand improvement and erosion control."
CSP is available for all working agricultural land, whether it's
cropland (corn, soybeans, small grains, hay, fruits and vegetables),
pasture, rangeland or managed woodlot.
Kevin Green, a farmer of 800 acres of corn and soybeans in
Vermilion County, says: "We've been doing conservation, such as
grassed waterways, riparian buffers, wind breaks, wetlands and
no-till beans on our farm for years. When I signed up for CSP in
2009 I started receiving payments for the conservation practices
already in place and for those we plan to start."
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"CSP rewards farmers who are good conservationists," says Devin
Brown, conservation policy advocate at the Illinois Stewardship
Alliance. "It helps offset the costs of expensive conservation
activities that enhance soil, air and water quality. It directly
pays farmers that promote wildlife habitat, conserve energy and
mitigate climate change."
CSP doesn't fit everyone's operation. According to Ivan Dozier,
assistant state conservationist with Illinois NRCS, "Interested
farmers should complete the Producer Self-Screening Checklist to
assess their eligibility for the program, which will help producers
determine if the program is right for them." The checklist can be
downloaded from
www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/index.html or can be picked up
at your local NRCS office.
For more on CSP, visit
www.il.nrcs.usda.gov.
[Text from file received from
Illinois Stewardship Alliance]
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