CSP Program
I have many ranchers who are good stewards of their land and wildlife habitat so I am pleased to report that there’s now a federal program to reward them. I’m Susan Allen this is Open Range, back after the break. A new federal initiative, known as the Conservation Stewardship Program or CSP (a bit different from CRP) will actually pay farmers and rancher based on how they take care of the environment, and the good news is this program is open to every producer in the US. The initial sign up for CSP began in 2009 and under the rules of created by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, eligibility is based on how a producer meets environmental goals established by the Federal Government and also how they deal with natural resources like water quality and wildlife habitat. Basically this new Conservation Stewardship Program works along with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Conservation Commission and local conservation districts to provide cost-share dollars along with technical assistance to improve soil, water and habitat conditions. In the end the ultimate goal is not only to financially reward good agriculture stewardship but improve the environment for all of us. Instead bumping heads with environmental regulators CSP offers producers a new way of merging agriculture and federal policy. In this win-win ranchers and farmers can still qualify for CRP and other Farm Bill Programs but the ones that are good conservationist will be paid an additional average of $14 an acres for their efforts. I’m Susan Allen .
