Farmers and ranchers have two additional weeks to enroll in the Conservation Stewardship Program, which pays producers for practicing conservation on working lands. The deadline for applications initially was set for Friday but now will be March 13, says the Natural Resources Conservation Service. An official announcement will be made this morning.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition said 119 conservation enhancements and 35 conservation practices are eligible for funding. “The top-ranking cropland enhancement – the soil health crop rotation – is brand new for this year,” it said.
CSP is the largest USDA conservation program in terms of acres covered. Participants agree to undertake additional steps to improve conditions on their land and sign a five-year contract to implement those steps.