02/02/06 CSP sign up for fewer wathersheds

02/02/06 CSP sign up for fewer wathersheds

Farm and Ranch February 2, 2006 USDA announced this week that the sign up for the 2006 Conservation Security Program will run from February 13th to March 31st. But instead of the preliminary 110 watersheds that had been selected for 2006, there will only be 60 watersheds nationwide eligible for the CSP. It's a familiar reason. Dave Brown of the Washington State Office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service says it's budget issues. Brown: "CSP only has a certain amount of money in it. I think at the national level they felt like they couldn't fund the entire list of watersheds and so they cut it down pretty much to one watershed per state. I think there are a couple of states that have more than that." In the Northwest Idaho has one watershed; the Clearwater, Washington one; the Naches and Oregon two watersheds; the Upper Grande Ronde and Upper Klamath Lake. Producers in eligible watersheds begin the application process by filling out a self-assessment to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for CSP. Those self-assessment workbooks are available in hard copy at USDA Service Centers within the watersheds and also electronically at the USDA's NRCS website. CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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