Conservation Stewardship Program

(CSP)

Dean KrehbielResource Conservationist

Enhancements

Purpose of enhancements

• Provide additionally

• Improve the level of stewardship on the farm

• Address specific resource concerns

CSP enhancements are intended to be those activities that:

• Not typically used in a system to meet the resource quality criteria, but are used to further "enhance" the treatment of the resource concern(s).

• Applied above minimum criteria for a conservation practice to further enhance treatment of a resource concern(s).

• Are not typically applied through Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.                                                                                                                                                                  

Why national enhancements?

• Consistency nationwide

• Focused on specific resource concerns

• Workload• Timeliness• Payment schedules

• Impact on Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) and the ranking process

What is the benefit to the farmer for doing enhancements?

• Improve farming operation and resource condition of the land

• Environmental benefit of enhancements chosen determine conservation performance points they receive

• Greater conservation performance level• Higher ranking• Higher payment

Environmental benefit of enhancements

• Each enhancement has been scored for environmental benefit

• Conservation Practices Physical Effects (CPPE) scoring -5 to +5

• A subset of full suite of resource concerns • 7 macro resource concerns + energy• Further broken down totaling 27 component resource

concerns

• Some enhancements affect many resources others very few

• Some enhancements apply to multiple land uses others only one land use

How does this environmental scoring work?

• After the applicant has gone through the CMT resource inventory questions and met the stewardship threshold requirements, they have the opportunity to choose enhancements

• Based on how they answered questions in the CMT, a list of enhancements are displayed

How does this environmental scoring work?

• The enhancements available to an applicant are based on land uses

• Whether the enhancement is applicable to an operation

How does this environmental scoring work?

• The applicant chooses enhancements

• Before deciding on an enhancement, they should review the job sheet for the enhancement

• The job sheet will provide the details for implementation

How does this environmental scoring work?

• The applicant schedules the enhancement• They must enter the amount applicable

• This is important

• See the Activity List for Planners for guidance• Handout

How does this environmental scoring work?

• CMT determines a score for the enhancement

• This is based on the environmental good of the enhancement and how much of the applicable amount is scheduled and implemented

• CMT totals up the scores from the enhancements

• This score helps determine the ranking and payment a producer will receive

What kinds of enhancements are available?

• A total of 83 enhancements• Includes the resource conserving crop rotation activity,

research and demonstrations, and pilots

• Where did all these enhancements come from?• Old CSP signups• State Resource Conservationists (SRCs) and program

people around the country• Out-of-the-box thinking from National Technology Support

Center (NTSC) specialists• Tried to be inclusive of organic farming, specialty crops,

and forestry

Enhancements cover 7 major resource concern areas + energy

• Air

• Animal (livestock & wildlife)

• Energy

• Plants

• Soil erosion

• Soil quality

• Water quality

• Water quantity

Not all enhancements are created equal

• Some enhancements score significantly higher than others

• The two highest scoring enhancements on crop land: • Continuous cover crops • Continuous No-Till

State developed supplemental information for several activities

Kansas Supplements• 36 enhancements• Will be available on Kansas CSP web page

Documentation

• Each enhancement requires documentation by the participant

• Requirements are listed in the job sheet

• It is not expected that participants will turn in this information each year• Have it available for spot checks

Implementation of an enhancement

• Most enhancements are applied as systems• Participant will be asked how many acres it applies to

• A few enhancements will be the actual number of something installed • Examples include:

• ANM04 - Extend Existing Filter Strips for Water Quality Protection and Wildlife

• WQT 03 - Irrigation Pumping Plant Evaluation• PLT 01 - Establish Pollinator Habitat

Air Quality Enhancement Activities

• AIR 01 Injecting or Incorporating Manure

• AIR 02 Nitrification Inhibitors for Nitrous Oxide Control

• AIR 03* Replace Burning of Pruning's, Removals, and other Crop Residues with Non-burning Alternatives

• AIR 04 Use Drift-reducing Nozzles, Low Pressures, Lower Boom Height, and Adjuvants to Reduce Pesticide Drift

• AIR 05 Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and Surfaces

• AIR 06* Replacing Oil and Wood-fired Heaters in Orchards and Vineyards

• AIR 07 GPS-Targeted Spray Applications

Animals Enhancement Activities

• ANM 01 Drainage Water Management for Seasonal Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 02 Defer Crop Production on Temporary and Seasonal Wetlands

• ANM 03 Revision of ANM03 to Increase % of Native Grasses/Legumes for Forage Base

• ANM 04 Extend Existing Filter Strips for Water Quality Protection and Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 05 Extending Riparian Forest Buffers for Water Quality Protection and Wildlife Habitat

Animals Enhancement Activities

• ANM 06 Extending Existing Riparian Herbaceous Cover for Water Quality Protection and Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 07 Extending Existing Field Borders for Water Quality Protection and Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 08 Improve the Plant Diversity and Structure of Non- Cropped Areas for Wildlife Food and Habitat

• ANM 09 Grazing Management to Improve Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 10 Harvest Hay to Allow Wildlife Escape

• ANM 11 Patch Burning to Enhance Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 12 Shallow Water Habitat

• ANM 13 Non-Forested Riparian Zone Enhancement for Fish and Wildlife

• ANM 14 Riparian Forest Buffer, Terrestrial, and Aquatic Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 15 Forest Stand Improvement for Habitat and Soil Quality

Animals Enhancement Activities

Animals Enhancement Activities• ANM 16 Harvesting Crops Using a Stripper Header

• ANM 17 Monitoring nutritional status of livestock using the NUTBAL PRO System

• ANM 18 Retrofit Watering Facilities for Wildlife Escape

• ANM 19 Wildlife Corridors

• ANM 20 Silvopasture for Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 21 Prairie Reconstruction for Grazing and Wildlife Habitat

• ANM 22 Restoration of Rare and Declining Habitats (NEW)

• ANM 23 Multi-species Native Perennials for Bio- mass/Wildlife Habitat

Energy Enhancement Activities

• ENR 01 Fuel Use Reduction for Field Operations

• ENR 02 Solar Powered Electric Fence Charging Systems

• ENR 03 Pumping Plant Powered by Renewable Energy

• ENR 04 Recycle 100% of Farm Lubricants

• ENR 05 Locally Grown and Marketed Farm Products

Plant Enhancement Activities

• PLT 01 Establish Pollinator Habitat

• PLT 02 Monitor Key Grazing Areas to Improve Management

• PLT 03 Forest Stand Improvement Pre-Treating Vegetation and Fuels

• PLT 04 Prescribed Burning

• PLT 05* Multi-Story Cropping, Sustainable Management of Non-timber Forest Plants

Plant Enhancement Activities

• PLT 06 Renovation of a Windbreak or Shelterbelt for Wildlife Habitat

• PLT 07 Advanced Intensive Rotational Grazing

• PLT 08 Conversion of Cropped Land to Grass-based Agriculture for Bio-mass Production, Forage Production, and/or Wildlife Habitat

• PLT 09 Beneficial Species for Pest Management Habitat Development

• PLT 10 Intensive Management of Rotational Grazing

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Soil Erosion Enhancement Activities

• SOE 01 Continuous No-Till

• SOE 02 Protection of Cultural Resources

• SOE 03* Organic Continuous No-Till

Soil Quality Enhancement Activities

•SQL 01 Controlled Traffic Systems

•SQL 02 Continuous Cover Crops

•SQL 03* Drainage Water Management for Nutrient, Pathogen, or Pesticide Reduction

•SQL 04 Use of Cover Crop Mixes

•SQL 05 Use of Deep Rooted Crops to Break Up Soil Compaction

•SQL 06 Conversion of cropped land to grass-based agriculture

•CCR 99 Resource Conserving Crop Rotation

Water Quality Enhancement Activities

• WQL 01 Biological Suppression and Other Non-chemical Techniques to Manage Brush

• WQL 02 BIOLOGICAL Suppression and Other Non- Chemical Techniques to Manage

Herbaceous Weeds

• WQL 03 Rotation of Supplement and Feeding Areas

• WQL 04* Stalk or Leaf Tissue Tests for N Application

• WQL 05 Apply Nutrients No More than 30 Days Prior to Planned Practice Planting Date

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Water Quality Enhancement Activities

• WQL 06 Apply Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer

• WQL 07 Split Nitrogen Applications, 50% After Crop Emergence

• WQL 08* Apply Split Applications of Nitrogen Based on a Pre- Sidedress Nitrogen Test on Cropland

• WQL 09 Apply Phosphorous Fertilizer Below the Soil Surface

• WQL 10 Plant an Annual Grass-Type Cover Crop that will Scavenge Residual Nitrogen

Water Quality Enhancement Activities

• WQL 11 Precision Application Technology to Apply Nutrients

• WQL 12 Managing Livestock Access to Water Bodies/Courses

• WQL 13 High Level Integrated Pest Management to Reduce Pesticide Environmental Risk

• WQL 14 Land Application of Treated Manure

• WQL 15 Reduce the Concentration of Nutrients on Farm by Limiting the Amount of Feed and Fertilizer Brought on Livestock Farms

Water Quality Enhancement Activities

• WQL 16 Use of Legume Cover Crops as a Nitrogen Source

• WQL 17 Use of Non-Chemical Methods to Kill Cover Crops

• WQL 18* Non-chemical pest control for livestock

• WQL 19 Transition to organic grazing systems

• WQL 20 Transition to organic cropping systems

• WQL 21 High level IPM for organic production

Water Quantity Enhancement Activities

• WQT 01 Irrigation System Automation

• WQT 02 Mulching for Moisture Conservation

• WQT 03 Irrigation Pumping Plant Evaluation

• WQT 04 Regional Weather Networks for Irrigation Scheduling

• WQT 05 Remote Monitoring and Notification of Irrigation Pumping Plant Operations

Other Enhancements

• FRD 01* On Farm Research and Demonstrations

• FPP 02* On Farm Pilot Projects

* NOTE: Enhancements identified in YELLOW and starred (*) have been de-emphasized in Kansas

– Lack technology to support implementation– Other technologies are available to to improve resource conditions– Don’t apply in Kansas

Let’s look at a couple of enhancements

• Each job sheet has a consistent format• Enhancement description • Land use• Benefits• Criteria• Documentation requirements

SEE EXAMPLES

Multiple Enhancements

• As a general rule, for any enhancement that is a structural practice or has a physical footprint on the ground, it will be the only enhancement that can take place on the footprint of that enhancement.

• For some management enhancements it is possible to implement more than one enhancement on the same acreage as long as they do not have duplicate environmental benefits

• See Enhancement Compatibility handout

Where to go:

National Enhancements are located at:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html

State Supplements will be located on the Kansas CSP web page:

http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/2009/index.html

Lyle D. FreesNatural Resource

Specialist

Resource-Conserving Crop Rotation – Supplemental

Payment Activity – CCR99

Resource-Conserving Crop Rotation (RCCR) Purpose

• A crop rotation that includes at least one resource conserving crop

• Reduces wind and water erosion

• Increases soil organic matter

• Improves soil fertility and tilth

• Interrupts pest cycles

• Reduces depletion of soil moisture or reduce the need for irrigation in applicable areas

• May provide protection and habitat for pollinators

Resource Conserving Crop - Definition

• A perennial grass, legume, or grass/legume grown for use as forage, seed for planting, or green manure

• A high residue producing crop

• A cover crop following an annual crop

RCCR “General” Criteria

• The rotation shall cover at least 3 years of the CSP contract

• The RCCR is considered adopted when the resource conserving crop is planted on at least 1/3 of the rotation acres. The resource conserving crop must be adopted by the third year of the contract and planted on all rotation acres prior to the fifth year of the contract.

RCCR Criteria

• A minimum of two crops if one of the crops is a perennial lasting at least 2 years, OR;

• A minimum of 2 crops, if no perennial, with a cover crop (not harvested) following one of the crop years (no silage or crop residue removed from the system), this may include a summer fallow if seeded to a cover crop, OR;

• A minimum of 3 crops, if no perennial, where at least 1/2 the rotation consists of high residue crops.

Wheat - Fallow is dominate rotation.The addition of a second crop typeand a cover crop, or three crop types

may be difficult due to low precipitation.

Cover crops such as Austrian winter pea, sun hemp, chick peas, mung bean, hairy vetch, andoil seed radish are usedin the east part of the area

Continuous Wheat is dominate rotation

Sorghum, wheat, and soybeans are grown in this area of Kansas

Cover crops such as Austrian winter pea, sun hemp, chick peas, mung bean, hairy vetch, and oil seed radish are used

Corn – Soybeans is dominate cropRotation

Wheat – sorghum – soybean is dominate crop rotation

Cover crops such as Red Clover, lespedeza, and cereal rye are currently used in the rotation

• Refer to nationally-developed enhancement and Kansas supplement

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Using Practices in the Conservation

Stewardship Program

Dean KrehbielResource Conservationist

Two Situations

• Meet stewardship threshold requirement• Priority resource concern by end of contract

• To address an additional resource concern• To improve conservation performance ranking score and

payment points

Field Verification

• Priority Resource Concern• Practice agreed to is adequate• If not, additional practice(s) may be needed

• If additional practices are needed• Consider practice offered through CSP• Applicant agrees to do on their own or through other

programs• Application is ineligible if they don’t agree to install practice

Practices to meet additional Stewardship Threshold(Use professional judgment)

Practice is adequate Proceed to develop Stewardship plan and contract

Planned Practice is not adequate

•Remove practice from CMT•Uncheck the resource concern•Re-submit to ProTracts

Resource problem already addressed (existing CMT question answered incorrectly)

•Remove practice from CMT •Answer the existing questions correctly•Re-submit to ProTracts

NRCS Identify Appropriate Condition

Section 508.75

Application is ineligible consistent with 440-CPM, Part 508, Section 508.109. See 440-CPM, Part 512, Section 512.55F for policy on requesting OIG investigation

Application is ineligible consistent with 440-CPM, Part 508, Section 508.109. See 440-CPM, Part 512, Section 512.55F for policy on requesting OIG investigation

Practices

• Again, practices are used by CSP participants to meet the basic requirements for additional resource concerns• Whereas; enhancements are intended to go beyond

the basic requirements

Practices

• CSP offers a limited suite of practices for this purpose

• Participants will receive ranking points for implementing these practices

• CSP practices are scored in a similar manner to enhancements (-5 to +5)

Practices

• 314 - Brush Management

• 328 - Conservation Crop Rotation

• 329 - Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed

• 338 - Prescribed Burning

• 340 - Cover Crop

• 342 - Critical Area Planting

Practices

• 344 - Residue Management, Seasonal

• 345 - Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till

• 346 - Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till

• 380 - Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment

• 383 – Fuel Break

• 384 - Forest Slash Treatment

• 386 - Field Border

Practices• 390 - Riparian Herbaceous Cover

• 391 - Riparian Forest Buffer

• 393 - Filter Strip

• 394 – Firebreak

• 395 - Stream Habitat Improvement and Management

• 449 - Irrigation Water Management

• 511 - Forage Harvest Management

• 512 - Pasture and Hay Planting

• 528 - Prescribed Grazing

Practices

• 550 - Range Planting

• 612 - Tree/Shrub Establishment

• 643 - Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats

• 644 - Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management

• 645 - Upland Wildlife Habitat Management

• 647 - Early Successional Habitat Development/Management

Practices

• 650 - Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation

• 654 - Road/Trail/Landing Closure and Treatment

• 655 - Forest Trails and Landings

• 660 - Tree/Shrub Pruning

• 666 - Forest Stand Improvement

Practices

• As a general rule, practices and enhancements that have a similar purpose should not be used on the same acreage at the same time.• For example, Practice 329 and Enhancement SOE 01

Questions?