NRCS Sign-Up: In Last Year of Conservation Stewardship Program Contract? Renew for Five More Years!

[April 21, 2017]    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that participants with Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) 2013 contracts have from now until May 5, 2017 to submit applications to local field office to renew their contract. NRCS allows CSP participants to renew a CSP contract for an additional five-year period. 2013 contracts are set to expire December 31, 2017. Participants are encouraged to submit an application to renew their CSP contract.

In Illinois, approximately 250 CSP 2013 contracts are reaching the end of their initial five-year contract period. These contracts may be renewed for an additional five years when participants agree to adopt additional conservation activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands. NRCS made several updates to the popular program last fall. These changes provide even greater opportunities for CSP participants to bring their conservation efforts to a higher level.

Local NRCS field offices are currently in the process of contacting participants and providing them with the necessary application forms. However, if a current CSP participant is unsure if they are eligible to apply for a CSP renewal, they should contact the local NRCS field office. For more details on technical and financial assistance available through conservation programs, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ main/il/programs/financial/  or your local NRCS field office.

[Paige Buck
Public Affairs Officer
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service]