USDA extends public comment period for Conservation Stewardship Program
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is extending the public comment period on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) interim rule. Public comments will be accepted through January 20, 2015.
“This extension will provide stakeholders with additional time to comment on the CSP interim rule,” Chief Jason Weller said. “At nearly 70 million acres, CSP is the nation’s largest conservation program. Input through the public comment process will help NRCS finalize a CSP rule that works for participants and continues to deliver greater conservation benefits for our Nation.”
Official notice of the change can be found in the Federal Register. Electronic comments must be submitted throughregulations.gov. Comments also can be hand carried or mailed to Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. NRCS-2014-0008, Regulatory and Agency Policy Team, Strategic Planning and Accountability, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Building 1-1112D, Beltsville, Md. 20705.
NRCS has issued an interim rule for implementation of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). CSP helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment. Through CSP, producers install conservation enhancements to make positive changes in soil, water, and air quality; water quantity; plant and animal resources; and energy conservation. Nearly 70 million acres have been enrolled in the program since its launch in 2009.
Congress made several changes to CSP in the 2014 Farm Bill that NRCS has incorporated into this interim rule. Additionally, NRCS has made some minor changes to make the regulation easier to read, and more importantly, the program easier to understand by producers.
The following list identifies some of the changes that are reflected in the CSP interim rule. These changes primarily focus upon improving the competitive nature of the program, including raising the bar for the quality of projects enrolled and priority resource concerns to be addressed during the term of the CSP contract.
Noteworthy Changes in the CSP Interim Final Rule
In particular, the CSP interim rule:
- Limits eligible land to that in production for at least 4 of the 6 years preceding February 7, 2014, the date of enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014.
- Requiring contract offers to meet stewardship threshold for at least two priority resource concerns and meet or exceed one additional priority resource concern by the end of the stewardship contract.
- Allowing enrollment of lands that are protected by an agricultural land easement under the newly authorized Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).
- Allowing enrollment of lands that are in the last year of the Conservation Reserve Program.
A complete list of changes in the CSP IFR is available on the web or as a printer-friendly PDF.
NRCS welcomes public comment about these changes and other topics identified in the interim rule. The official comment period has been extended to January 20, 2015.
Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NRCS-2014-0008-0001
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The Montana Stockgrowers Association, a non-profit membership organization, has worked on behalf of Montana’s cattle ranching families since 1884. Our mission is to protect and enhance Montana ranch families’ ability to grow and deliver safe, healthy, environmentally wholesome beef to the world.