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“CSP continues to be a very effective tool for
private landowners working to achieve their conservation and
management goals,” said Ivan Dozier, NRCS State Conservationist
in Illinois. “It is the largest conservation program in the
United States with more than 70 million acres of productive
agricultural and forest land enrolled.”
While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested
producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office
by May 10, 2019, to ensure their applications are considered for
2019 funding.
Changes to the Program
The 2018 Farm Bill authorizes NRCS to accept new CSP enrollments
from now until 2023, and it makes some important improvements to
the program. These updates include:
· NRCS now enrolls eligible, high-ranking applications based on
dollars rather than acres. For fiscal year 2019, nationally NRCS
can spend up to $700 million in the program, which covers part
of the cost for producers implementing new conservation
activities and maintaining their existing activities.
· Higher payment rates are now available for certain
conservation activities, including cover crops and resource
conserving crop rotations.
· CSP now provides specific support for organic operations and
those transitioning to organic production activities as well as
a special grassland conservation initiative for certain
producers who have maintained cropland base acres.
About the Program
CSP is offered in Illinois through continuous sign-ups. The
program provides many benefits including increased crop yields,
decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased
resilience to weather extremes. CSP is for working lands
including cropland, pastureland, and nonindustrial private
forest land.
More Information
For additional information about CSP, contact your local USDA
service center.
[Paige Buck
Public Affairs Officer
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service]
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