Producers in selected watersheds have until Friday, July 30 to complete the 2004 sign up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) – the first sign up since the program was created in the 2002 farm law. Selected Cotton Belt watersheds for this sign-up are: Saluda (SC); Little (GA); Little River Ditches (MO/AR); Lower Salt Fork Arkansas (OK/KS); Punta de Agua (NM/TX); and Hondo (TX).
Producers in selected watersheds first fill out a self-assessment, which can be completed online at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.
The initial self-assessment will help producers identify whether their individual agricultural operation meets sign-up criteria. By going through the workbook, producers will get a good idea about whether they are eligible for CSP at this time. Producers who may not be eligible can find out about programs that can help them achieve a higher level of conservation so that they may apply for CSP in the future.
The CSP will be offered each year, on a rotational basis, in as many watersheds as funding allows.