The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications through February 3, 2017 for enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is for producers who are already established conservation stewards, helping them deliver multiple conservation benefits on working lands, including improved water and soil quality and enhanced wildlife habitat. Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agriculture production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and management techniques such as precision agriculture applications and new soil amendments to improve water quality. Whether you are interested in improving grazing conditions, increasing crop yields, or developing wildlife habitat, a CSP plan can help you meet your goals.
More information about CSP, including national and state ranking questions and enhancement descriptions, visit the Ohio NRCS website (Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)) or contact the Orwell USDA Service Center at (440) 437-5888.
