Landowners enrolled in the Conservation Stewardship Program, which pays farmers to practice soil, water and wildlife conservation as part of their daily operations, will have two months to apply for a renewal of their contract, says a USDA bulletin. Some 20,000 contracts are expiring. “These contracts may be eligible for renewal for another 5-year term in 2014,” says USDA . Producers will have from July 11-Sept 12 to re-enroll.
Created by the 2008 farm law, CSP was USDA’s first “working lands” program. Some 60 million acres are enrolled, making it the largest U.S. conservation program. “It pays to renew,” says the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, because the process for renewing is simpler than entering the competitive application period expected this fall for new contracts.