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Batching Date for FY2024 Conservation Stewardship Program Round 1 Funding Fast Approaching

Are you an agricultural producer wanting to have less of an effect on the land while continuing to farm? If so, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Connecticut can help you make that happen through their Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

  • CSP-IRA (funded through the Inflation Reduction Act) is designed to help farmers, ranchers, forestland owners, and Tribes with moving their operation to the next level of conservation through implementation of Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry activities. This is an integrated approach that enables farmers and forest landowners to respond to climate change by reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation), and adapting and building resilience (adaptation), while sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes. In Connecticut, CSP-IRA will focus on carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, reduced energy, and soil health while increasing conservation implementation and solving natural resource concerns related to climate change. Participants will earn payments for implementing new conservation activities and for maintaining current stewardship efforts.  
  • CSP Classic continues to be available to support eligible landowners to build their business while implementing conservation practices that will increase crop yields, decrease inputs, make improvements to support wildlife populations, and provide better resilience to weather extremes. Eligible agricultural producers and forest landowners will earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities such as cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agricultural production on their land. CSP Classic also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rates, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.

In October 2023 (the beginning of FY2024), USDA increased the minimum annual payment for agricultural producers participating in CSP from $1,500 to $4,000. The increase addresses challenges faced by small scale, underserved, and urban producers and improves equity in the program by making participation more financially beneficial for smaller operations. The new minimum payment is available for new and renewed CSP contracts. 

Interested? While applications for CSP are accepted year-round, to be considered for the first round of FY2024 funding they must be received by December 8, 2023. Find out if you’re qualified by contacting your local USDA service center or scroll down the page to the How to Get Assistance section.