The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Although the 2012 evaluation and ranking period has closed, producers are still encouraged to submit their applications.

Applications received after January 27, 2012 will be considered for the next evaluation and ranking period. NRCS will announce future cutoff evaluation and ranking periods.

What is CSP?

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a comprehensive working lands program available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CSP rewards producers for practices and systems that protect the environment and natural resources. The program targets practices that conserve or improve soil, water, air, energy, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat. Through CSP, producers receive technical and financial assistance for maintaining existing conservation measures and for adopting additional conservation practices. The NRCS will will award five-year CSP contracts to qualifying producers for up to $200,000. Enrollment for the program is nationwide and continuous.

Benefits for Organic Farmers

CSP rewards producers for the conservation benefits of their existing organic farming and ranching systems. Organic practices are among the many conservation activities CSP targets. Some of these include organic cropping and livestock systems, establishment of pollinator habitat, conservation tillages, resource conserving crop rotations, rotational grazing, and continuous cover cropping. Practices that sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gasses are also rewarded. In addition, the 2008 Farm Bill requires NRCS to provide technical assistance specific to organic producers.

How to Sign up for CSP

(Note - sign-up for the 2010 CSP is now closed. We will update this page with new information about the 2010 application process and the 2011 sign-up as NRCS makes it available.)

1. Complete a producer self-screening checklist to see if CSP is right for you. This is an optional but strongly recommended step to help you determine if you meet the program's applicant eligibility, land eligibility, and stewardship threshold eligibility. You do not have to turn the checklist in to NRCS. You can download the checklist from the NRCS website.
2. Fill out a Contract Program Application in your local NRCS Service Center. This application is a simple 3 page form that asks you basic questions about your operation.
3. Establish a record at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) if you have not already done so. In order to apply for any USDA conservation program, you must be an operator in the FSA farm records management system. You can establish a record in the FSA system at your local FSA Service Center.
4. Review the list of CSP conservation activities to identify which activities you already engage in (and can be rewarded for), which ones you can install to improve your farm's conservation, and which ones you currently engage in that you can enhance. In order to be eligible for enrollment in CSP, applicants must already be addressing at least one priority resource concern at the established stewardship threshold level at the time of application. Also, applicants must agree to adopt or install additional conservation activities during the contract period and address at least one more priority resource consern at the stewardship threshold level during the 5-year contract period. NRCS has a list of all the conservation activies it rewards as well as detailed job sheets for each conservation activity on the list.
5. Determine your ranking score by completing the Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) at your local NRCS Service Center. Farmers who are eligible applicants for CSP must complete this tool, which will evaluate your existing conservation level and proposed additional improvements. Right now, the CMT can only be completed at your NRCS Service Center. However, the national NRCS website has downloadable worksheets with all the questions the CMT will ask you.
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: General
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: NIPF-General
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: Cropland
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: Pastureland
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: Rangeland
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: Water
   Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) Inventory Questions for FY 2012-1: Forestland
   Downloading and filling out these worksheets in advance will reduce the amount of time you spend filling out the CMT at your NRCS Service Center. NRCS will rank applicants based on the ranking score the CMT gives them and will determine which applicants are eligible for enrollment over the summer. If your application is eligible for enrollment, NRCS will notify you.
6. NRCS field staff will conduct an on-site field verification for applicants eligible for enrollment. NRCS field visits verify that the information provided in your application is correct. Field visits will occur over the summer months you enroll.
7. Develop a contract with NRCS. Once your application is field-verified, you will work with NRCS field staff to develop a contract and a conservation stewardship plan. The conservation stewardship plan is the schedule of conservation activities to be implemented, managed, or improved during the contract's life.

Useful Resources for Farmers

The NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program Information Page - the official program information page from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions about CSP from the Organic Farming Research Foundation
Program Basics FAQ
The Application Process FAQ
Payment Rates FAQ
CSP and Organic Production Systems FAQ

Organizations In Your State That Can Assist You In Applying to CSP
USDA Conservation Programs for Organic Producers. This list will be updated as needed, so please check back. If your organization has web-based information and/or expertise in assisting farmers applying for EQIP and wants to be listed here, please contact us.

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition - Conservation Stewardship Program page

The Center for Rural Affairs Farm Bill Helpline - call 402-687-2100 and ask for the Farm Bill Helpline.