Across the Director's Desk

Conservation Security Program
Farmers in the southwest corner of Allamakee County have the opportunity to sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) this year. Those producers are in the Turkey River watershed. For the rest of us in Allamakee County who are not eligible for the program this year, your chance will come later (if CSP funding holds out.) This year's eligible watersheds encompass about 83 million acres and 208,000 farms and ranches.

Plan Now
Just because most of Allamakee County is not eligible for CSP funding this year, doesn't mean that producers should just sit back and wait. This is the time to plan to take advantage of this program when it becomes available to other watersheds. Here's why.
Once CSP is offered in a watershed, there won't be another sign-up opportunity until enrollment cycles through every other watershed in the country. NRCS estimates that could take as long as seven years, depending on levels of funding each year. You'll want to be ready when your opportunity comes.
CSP is the first program to reward farmers for conservation practices they are already doing. For example, Farm Journal reports one Minnesota farmer who enrolled 138 acres in last year's pilot sign-up period, at Tier I, the lowest level, will earn $853 annually during his contract. A modest payment, sure. But, to earn it, the farmer didn't have to change a thing - just continue the residue management and fertilizer and pesticide Best Management Practices he was already using. By enrolling Tier I, he has an opportunity to upgrade his contract by adding more land and more conservation practices.
Payments can go higher. It is estimated that producers enrolled at Tier I will average $15-20 per acre.
CSP applies to cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and rangeland, as well as forestland that is an incidental part of a farm operation. To enroll, your current tillage, crop rotation and nutrient, pesticide and irrigation water management practices must meet basic NRCS criteria for protecting soil and water quality.
If you meet those criteria on a portion of your acreage, you can enroll that portion in Tier I. If your entire farm meets soil and water criteria, you can enroll your entire operation. That's called Tier II. In Tier I and Tier II, you can increase your payment by agreeing to perform more conservation practices.
Contracts are for five years in Tier I and five to 10 years in Tiers II and III.

Initial Eligibility
In order to determine if your farm will be eligible for CSP funding, the NRCS office has a self-assessment tool for you to use to examine your farming operation. The tool has 10 pages of questions about your operation. The tool is not difficult to use, but it does force you to look at your current management practices.
The tool will ask you if you have written crop production records, written pasture management records, soil test results, and how you manage livestock access to waterways. Since many producers in this area already have terraces, use conservation tillage and have an alfalfa rotation, they are good candidates for this program.
Contact the NRCS office for more information about this program. By taking a little time this winter to examine your farm and prepare a plan, you will be placing yourself in a good position to take advantage of this program.