WASHINGTON, May
7, 2008—U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) Chief Arlen Lancaster today announced that producers in 51
eligible watersheds nationwide will have two additional weeks to apply for
the Conservation Security Program (CSP) in fiscal year 2008. The sign-up now
ends on May 30, 2008.
A sign-up extension
announcement is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on May 9,
2008. Originally, the CSP sign-up was scheduled to run from April 18-May
16, 2008. In Delaware, CSP is available to 330
potentially eligible farms in the northern portion of the Broadkill
Smyrna Watershed, which includes parts of New Castle and Kent counties.
“NRCS recognizes the
inopportune timing of this year’s sign-up and that farmers and ranchers are
busy in their fields. We want to give them as much time as possible,”
Lancaster said. “We are extending the sign-up as much as possible to allow
producers adequate time to gather natural resource information and complete
the required self-assessment and applicant interview. This two-week
extension represents the fullest accommodation we can make and deliver a
program this year.”
Natural disasters—such as
excessive spring rains and flooding in certain parts of the country that
caused delays in planting—also played a role in the decision to extend the
sign-up, Lancaster said. As a result, many farmers and ranchers had little
time to gather their records to meet the CSP sign-up requirements.
CSP, a voluntary program,
encourages and rewards producers who practice outstanding stewardship on
working agricultural land by offering financial incentives that increase
with the level of conservation effort. Soil and water quality are the
primary focus of this program; however, program goals also include improved
wildlife habitat, air quality, and environmentally responsible energy
production.
Currently, there are 331
enrolled watersheds covering nearly 248 million acres eligible for CSP
nationwide.
For more information about
CSP and eligibility requirements in Delaware, please visit
www.de.nrcs.usda.gov/.
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