SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
RENO, Nev. – Bruce Petersen, Nevada state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, announced today that the deadline has been extended for the Conservation Stewardship Program. Producers will now be able to submit applications through Jan. 7, 2011.
“The deadline was extended by NRCS Chief Dave White to allow producers more time to complete their applications,” said Petersen. “We hope extending the deadline will allow even more producers to participate in this program.”
All producers are encouraged to apply for CSP. Authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and nonindustrial forestland. The program provides many conservation benefits including improvement of water and soil quality, wildlife habitat enhancement and adoption of conservation activities that address the effects of climate change.
A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help producers determine if CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations and potential payments. It is available from local NRCS offices or online at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or the Nevada NRCS website at http://www.nv.nrcs.usda.gov.
