Deadline Announced for Renewal of 2019 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Contracts

Mar 15, 2023

Farmers and ranchers participating in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) with a contract obligated in 2019 are provided the opportunity to renew their participation in the program for another 5-year term. The offer to renew is available to all CSP contracts that expire at the end of December 2023. Notices are being mailed out with instructions on how to apply. Participants should contact their local office if they do not receive a notice in the mail. The deadline to apply is April 28, 2023.

In December 2022, the NRCS Chief approved a change to the CSP regulation that removes the two years of ineligibility for CSP if the participant did not renew. A participant who chooses not to renew may apply in the classic signup. However, management activities paid in a previous contract cannot be paid on the same footprint in a future contract. “The intent of the CSP program is to encourage higher levels of conservation. By focusing on small changes over time producers can generate improvements that lead to better production and resilience of the agricultural operation,” says Kenneth Branch, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs.

Each application will be assessed and ranked. At least five percent of available funds will be used for applications in the beginning farmer/rancher ranking pool and five percent for applications in the socially disadvantaged farmer/rancher ranking pool.

When submitting the application for renewal, participants must submit the Form NRCS-CPA 1200, “Conservation Program Application,” Form NRCS-CPA-1248 “Renewal Offer Worksheet,” and a map showing the current acres in the operation. Participants must also update their farm records with the Farm Service Agency (FSA). For questions on CSP renewals and how to apply, please contact your local USDA Service Center. Participants are encouraged to create an account at https://www.farmers.gov/sign-in for online access to contract information, e-sign documents and to apply for program assistance.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.