COLUMBIA, MO -- Farmers who signed Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts in 2011 with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have until March 31 to renew those expiring contracts for another five years.
State Conservationist J.R. Flores said there are 658 CSP contracts in Missouri that will expire on December 31 if not renewed. Those contracts apply to 318,517 acres. Flores said farmers may renew their existing contracts on a non-competitive basis if they are willing to adopt additional conservation activities aimed at helping them achieve higher levels of conservation on their farms, forests and ranches. Farmers without CSP contracts can apply for the voluntary program until March 13, which is an extension of the previously announced deadline for new applications.
Flores said changes in the 2014 Farm Bill allow CSP participants with expiring contracts to renew them by exceeding stewardship thresholds for two or more existing natural resource concerns or by meeting stewardship thresholds for at least two new natural resource concerns such as improving water quality or soil health. The 2014 Farm Bill includes an expanded conservation activity list that offers farmers more options to address natural resource challenges. New conservation activities include testing the effects of cover crops on soil quality, incorporating wildlife-beneficial management, and using innovative irrigation efforts to reduce water use.
CSP pays participants for conservation performance ‹ the better the performance, the higher the payment. Nearly 70 million acres have been enrolled in the program nationally since its launch in 2009. About 9,300 contracts covering 12.2 million acres in the U.S. are nearing the end of their five-year term.
Flores said that all farmers interested in CSP should contact their local NRCS offices, keeping in mind the two different deadlines for new contracts (March 13) and for contract renewals (March 31). More information about CSP is available on the NRCS website: www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov.