LVEA IN ACTION                                                                                                                SPRING 2005

Rewarding the Best

Conservation Security Program Helps Nevada Agricultural Producers

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a new, voluntary conservation program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Nevada.  CSP supports ongoing stewardship of private and Tribal agricultural lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources.  It identifies and rewards those farmers and ranchers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations. 

CSP provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands.  Working lands include cropland, grassland, orchards, vineyards, improved pasture, and rangeland, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. 

How CSP Works
1. Nevada’s designated CSP watersheds are the Carson Desert, Pine, Walker, and Warner Lakes. 
2. Producers complete the self-assessment workbook to determine program eligibility.
3. Eligible producers within these watersheds submit an application.  A sign-up period will be held once the final
   rule on CSP is published.
4. Based on the application, description of conservation activities, and a follow-up interview, the NRCS will
    determine which program tier and enrollment category are available for the applicant. 

Basic Eligibility
Both the producer and the producer’s operation must first meet these basic eligibility criteria:
•  The land must be privately owned or Tribal land with the majority of the land located in one of the priority watersheds.
•  The applicant must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, have an active interest in the agricultural operation, and show control of the land for the life of the contract.
•  The applicant must share in the risk of producing any crop or livestock and be entitled to a share in the crop or livestock marketed from the operation.

All applicants must meet the following minimum tier eligibility and contract requirements, plus any additional requirements in the sign-up announcement.
    •  Tier I, water quality and soil quality are addressed to minimum treatment requirements on part of the
        agricultural operation.
    •  Tier II, water quality and soil quality are addressed to minimum treatment requirements on the entire
       agricultural operation and one additional resource is addressed by the end of the contract period.
    •  Tier III, all resource concerns on the entire agricultural operation are treated to the resource management
       system level according to NRCS Field Office Technical Guide standards and additional enhancement
       activities outlined in the sign-up announcement are applied.

Soilquality practices might include crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage, prescribed grazing, and adequate wind barriers.

Water quality practices might include managed access to streams, nutrient and pest management, prescribed grazing, and irrigation water management.
Contract Payments
CSP contract payments include the following:
•  Annual stewardship component for the existing base level conservation treatment.
•  Annual existing practice component for maintaining existing conservation practices.
•  A one-time new practice component if needed to move between tiers.
•  Enhancement components for selected conservation activities that provide increased resource benefits beyond prescribed program levels.  Enhancement activities may include improving a significant resource concern; improving a priority local resource condition as determined by NRCS; participating in on-farm conservation research, demonstration, or pilot projects; cooperating with other producers to implement watershed or regional resource conservation plans; and conducting assessment and evaluation activities.

Total payments are determined by the tier of participation:
•  For Tier I, contracts are for 5 years; maximum payment is $20,000 annually.
•  For Tier II, contracts are for 5-10 years; maximum payment is $35,000 annually.
•  For Tier III, contracts are for 5-10 years; maximum payment is $45,000 annually.

For more information, contact Albert Mulder, Fallon NRCS Office, 775 423-5124.