Checks for Conservation

Here’s how the government can become solvent and actually save money. Start communicating…in English. I can’t tell you the number of USDA or ISDA memos or press clippings I get that I absolutely have no clue how to understand…and I have a Ph.D. in Bio-Medical Engineering. I’m no genius, but I’m not a dope.

 Listen to this from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Division. “USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today begins a continuous sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program which is a voluntary conservation program that encourages agricultural and forestry producers to improve or maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their land.” It goes on to list all of these sign up conditions and qualifications and time limits…but never tells you what you have to do.

 So I went over to the office and talked to Rob Fredericksen. I held him down on the ground, pinned his arms behind his back and asked what does this mean. Listen to the conversation: “Let’s say a guy for the last 3 years has been doing no-till. OK. Here’s about this program and says Wait a minute, I’ve been doing that, maybe I’m eligible. He is. And what we’re doing is looking at it a couple of different ways. We have existing stewardship, you’re going to get credit for those things that you’ve been implementing and if there’s additional things that you want to do, you’re going to get credit for that too.

 Soil erosion prevention and water preservation techniques can get farmers a check. Go to aginfo.net for details.

 To apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program, potential participants can complete a self-screening checklist to determine if the Conservation Stewardship Program is suitable for them or their operation. The checklist is available at NRCS field offices and on the NRCS Web site (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html).

         The application process requires producers to:

1.)     Have farm records established with USDA Farm Service Agency,

2.)     Be the operator of the land,

3.)     Provide evidence that they have control of the land for 5 years, and;

4.)     Provide a map delineating their entire agriculture or forestry operation.

To be considered in the first round of funding, this information needs to be in place before an application can be accepted and before the ranking cutoff date. The cutoff date for the first sign-up period is September 30.