The next deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applications to be considered for funding this year is Feb. 10, 2023.
Through CSP, the USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners earn payments for expanding conservation activities while maintaining agricultural productions on their land. CSP also encourages adopting new technologies and management techniques.
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For example, CSP might recommend that a farmer plant a deep-rooted cover crop in order to prevent soil erosion and improve overall soil health. CSP would then help the farmer begin and maintain that process.
Changes in the 2018 Farm Bill allow NRCS to accept new CSP enrollments from 2020‒2023 and added improvements to the program such as higher payment rates for including cover crops and resource conserving crop rotations. Other improvements provide specific support for organic production and enrolling eligible, high-ranking applications based on dollars rather than acres.
While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline to ensure their applications are considered for 2023 funding.
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