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NEWSUnited States Department of Agriculture
Boise, Idaho - Idaho's best conservation stewards in selected watersheds throughout the state now have the opportunity to sign-up for USDA's new Conservation Security Program (CSP) March 28 through May 27, according to a recent announcement by USDA Secretary Mike Johanns. CSP is a voluntary program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, agricultural working lands and rewards those producers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations. “As President Bush has stated, those who depend on the land to make a living are the best stewards of the land,” Johanns said. “This is a unique program that offers payments for enhancing natural resources, rewards those farmers and ranchers who are model conservationists and provides incentives for other producers to meet those same high standards of environmental performance.” Selected watersheds in Idaho include: Moyie, Lower Kootenai, South Fork Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater, Lochsa, Lower Selway, Upper Selway, Middle Salmon-Chamberlain, Little Salmon, Lower Salmon, Hells Canyon, North Fork Payette, C.J. Strike Reservoir, Big Lost, Upper Henrys and Lower Henrys (see attached map). Nationally, producers in the 18 pioneer watersheds from the 2004 sign-up will also be included. The Lemhi Watershed in Idaho was one of these original CSP watersheds and is included in this year’s signup. Producers who have a current CSP contract are not eligible. “Idaho’s top conservation farmers and ranchers have been protecting our soil and water resources for years,” says Richard Sims, NRCS state conservationist for Idaho. “Now they will be rewarded for that stewardship, and will become the models for future CSP participants. It’s a bright new day for conservation and I’m delighted we’re a part of this sign-up.” Nationwide, 220 watersheds are eligible for CSP, representing more than 185 million acres in every state and the Caribbean Area. Congress funded the fiscal year 2005 CSP budget at $202 million. This allows the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to write an estimated 12,000-14,000 contracts. NRCS service centers will be holding CSP informational meetings across the state. Producers who operate more than 50 percent of their land in a selected watershed should plan to attend for more details about CSP and producer eligibility. The list for informational meetings is provided below. The meetings will cover: • What is CSP? • Who is Eligible for CSP? • How Can I Apply for the Program? • What are the Benefits of CSP? • What are the Requirements of CSP? Land in this year’s selected watersheds may not be eligible again for up to eight years, so attending a meeting is important for those interested. For more information on CSP, visit www.id.nrcs.usda.gov .
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
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