02/06/06 Washington farmers may lose CSP contracts

02/06/06 Washington farmers may lose CSP contracts

Farm and Ranch February 6, 2006 More than a dozen agricultural producers in Washington have been issued an "intent to terminate" notification of their Conservation Security Program contracts. Gus Hughbanks, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington, says the action was taken after a review of CSP self-assessment documentation in the Upper Crab Creek and Rock Creek watersheds found 15 contract holders who were determined to have provided apparently false or altered soil test results. Hughbanks says those producers can appeal. Hughbanks: "We will see what kind of a response we get from them and some time shortly thereafter make a final decision on whether to cancel the contract and what repayments may be required." In addition to repayment of contract payments, the producers may be subject to an additional 20 percent cost recovery payment. Hughbanks says this is a situation in which steps must be taken to address it because so many people have complied completely with the rules of CSP. Hughbanks: "We really feel we have an obligation to the people that did participate but we also have an obligation to the taxpayers to be good stewards of the funds that the taxpayers have given to us. So we feel we have to follow up on things like this that we find that may turn out to be violations." I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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