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CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM (CSP)

Continuous Sign-Up Kick-Off

Steve Parkin

Stewardship Program Team

August 10, 2009

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CSP Features and Outreach

Objectives:

• Overview

• Enlist Support

• Spread the Word

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Secretary Vilsack – Priority

“You’ll see an aggressive effort and a continued effort at promoting our Conservation Stewardship Program.

Why?Because it’s good for the environment; it’s good to

preserve the soil; it’s good to protect the water.”- Secretary Vilsack February 26, 2009

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Continuous Sign-Up Announced

Target Dates

Begin Sign-Up………….... August 10

First Cutoff………....…September 30

Pre-Approve Apps…….November 16

Verify & Approve………November 30

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Stewardship Program Purpose

Encourage producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by

• Installing and adopting new conservation activities

• Improving, maintaining, and managing existing activities

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Created by 2008 Farm Bill

• Replaces the Conservation Security Program of Prior Years

• Authorizes 12,796,000 Acres/Year Enrollment Through 2017

• Expands Program Availability

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Security Program

Effect on Conservation Security Program

• Prohibits new or renewed Security contracts after 09/30/08

• Provides funds as necessary to administer existing contracts

• Honors payment commitments

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Stewardship Program Features

Broadens Program Availability

• Available nationwide

• Continuous sign-up with periodic cut-offs for ranking

• Adds nonindustrial private forest lands as eligible land

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Stewardship Program Features

Shifts Decision-Making to States

• Allocates acres to States to manage

• Focuses on resource concerns identified as a priority for a State or areas of a state

• Competitively ranks peers who face similar resource challenges

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CSP Benefits - Participants

• Recognition for Excellent Land Stewardship

• Payment for Performance – 2 types Annual payment for installing additional

conservation activities as scheduled and maintaining existing activities

Supplemental payment available for participant receiving annual payment who also adopts a resource-conserving crop rotation

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Benefits - Natural Resources and Public

• Delivers valuable new conservation

• Expands ag and forestry producers’ ability to produce greater environmental benefits: Improves air, soil, and water quality Creates and enhances wildlife habitat Assists address global climate change Encourages energy conservation and production

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Program Design Emphasis

• Critical Management Controls

• Conservation Planning Process

• Payment for Conservation Performance

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Critical Management Controls

Program Design – Participation Extent • Participation based on how producer represents their

operation for other USDA programs Applicant must be operator in FSA farm records

management system Operation includes all agricultural or forestry land operated

substantially separate where the operator has control for the contract term

Owners can be participants

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Critical Management Controls

Program Design – Participation Extent

• Payment limitation monitored by direct attribution

• Allows participation in multiple contracts

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Critical Management Controls

Program Design – Servicing Model• Payment for previous FY activities allows field

verification prior to obligation and payment• Servicing model becomes:

Screen – Resource Inventory – Schedule Activities Rank – Pre-approve – Field Verify – Obligate Install and Maintain Activities – Pay

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Critical Management Controls

On-Site Field Verification for All Pre-approved Applications

• Request applicant’s records

• Conduct on-site field verification

• Substantiate resource inventory information was accurate prior to contract approval

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Conservation Planning Process

Conservation Measurement Tool Builds On Existing Technology

• Conservation planning tool

• Combines functions of past eligibility tools

• Considers physical effects of existing and new conservation activities on eligible land

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Conservation Planning Process

Conservation Measurement Tool

Functions to:

• Inventory resources to estimate existing conservation performance level

• Schedule new conservation activities and estimate conservation performance improvement

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Conservation Planning Process

Conservation Measurement Tool

Functions to:

• Determine stewardship threshold requirement Land treatment eligibility

• Determine ranking score• Establish annual payment

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Let’s Get Started

Step 1 – Producer Self-Screening Checklist

• Completed by potential applicant to independently identify if CSP is right program for them and their operation

• Available at NRCS field offices and on NRCS Web sites www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html

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CSP Summary

• Recognize Existing Stewardship & Deliver New Conservation

• Revamped and Ready to Roll-Out

• Help Spread the Word

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.