USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is holding 10 public listening sessions nationwide to gain feedback on the newly published proposed rule for the Conservation Security Program (CSP).
A session was held on the new CSP program at the recent 2004 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio. The program would reward ongoing conservation stewardship on agricultural lands and give farmers incentives to further enhance natural resource conditions. The program is designed to reward the best conservation stewards of the most environmentally sensitive areas in targeted watersheds.
Scheduled meetings in the Cotton Belt include Tempe, Ariz. Jan. 13; Kerrville, Tex., Jan. 21; St. Pierce, Flor., Feb. 11; and Greenwood, MS, Feb. 11. Meetings are also being held in Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Full conference information is available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/cspforums.html
Written statements will be accepted at the listening session or may be submitted by mail, e-mail or fax to Conservation Security Program Comments, ATTN: David McKay, NRCS Conservation Operations Division, P.O. Box 2890, Washington DC 20013; e-mail david.mckay@usda.gov or fax 202-720-4265.
The CSP proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on January 2, 2004; comments are due by March 2, 2004. The proposed rule and additional information on the program can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov