Agricultural producers and forestland owners have the opportunity to enhance natural resources and agricultural productivity through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) as administered by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The program provides funding to maintain existing conservation activities while implementing at least one new activity on some cropland, pastureland and/or forestland acres.

Applicants will document existing conservation efforts on your operation and choose one or more new practices to implement during the life of the five-year contract.

If an application is selected for funding, the applicant will receive one annual payment for five years as determined by an applicant’s existing conservation, new activities and the acres enrolled. Payments come in a variety of ranges depending on your land type and there are also many new activities from which to choose, so contact your local NRCS Office for more information.

The program has been popular and successful in De Witt County, where 36,000 acres are enrolled in 34 contracts obligating nearly $1.7 million in payments.

The first CSP deadline is Friday, February 27, 2015. By April 10, applicants must document existing conservation activities and select new activities.

Contracts will be finalized by June 12.

Contact the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service or De Witt SWCD at 217-935-6504 EXT. 3 for more information.