WASHINGTON, June 16, 2014 – The USDA will begin accepting renewal applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) on July 11. Farmers and ranchers that enrolled in the program in 2010 are eligible to apply.
Approximately 20,000 CPS contracts will expire this year affecting 20 million acres. Contracts last for five years and are then eligible for renewal.
CSP is a working lands conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to producers to manage and maintain existing conservation systems. It implements additional conservation activities on land currently in production.
The 2014 Farm Bill increased CSP focus on generating additional conservation benefits, removed the limitation on the number of nonindustrial private forestland acres that can be enrolled and increased the flexibility to enroll land coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Participants who do not re-enroll can apply for future CSP sign ups at a local USDA Service Center. Renewal offers are active until Sept. 12.
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