Conservation Stewardship Program - MO

Fiscal Year 2025 Missouri CSP Opportunities

Missouri CSP Classic and CSP IRA (Inflation Reduction Act)- Classic

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Next funding opportunity: Application deadline is December 20, 2024

Available funding streams:

• CSP IRA Classic 
  • Beginning Farmer or Rancher Nonindustrial Private Forest Land 
  • Beginning Farmer or Rancher Ag Lands
  • Socially Disadvantaged Nonindustrial Private Forest Land
  • Socially Disadvantaged Ag Lands
  • Ag Lands
  • Nonindustrial Private Forest Land
• CSP Classic
  • Beginning Farmer or Rancher Nonindustrial Private Forest Land 
  • Beginning Farmer or Rancher Ag Lands
  • Socially Disadvantaged Nonindustrial Private Forest Land
  • Socially Disadvantaged Ag Lands
  • Organic
• CSP Classic (all other ranking pools not outlined above)

The Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced December 20^th, 2024, as the cut-off date to apply for the next opportunity for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Classic and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. 

CSP assistance is available to agriculture producers including cropland, pastureland, hayland, and forest landowners who are interested in implementing activities such as cover crop, conservation tillage, prescribed grazing, nutrient management, tree planting, and more.

NRCS accepts CSP applications on a continuous basis, but applications are ranked and funded by enrollment period, which have application cut-off dates that are set by each state. Applications received after the cut-off date will automatically be considered during the next funding cycle. Agricultural producers can submit applications at local NRCS offices. 

For more information about NRCS programs and assistance, visit www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov or contact the NRCS office serving your county. NRCS employees in county offices can provide more information about how to apply for benefits offered by NRCS.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible lands include private agricultural lands, agricultural Indian lands, nonindustrial private forest land, farmstead, associated agricultural lands and public land that is under the control of the applicant and part of their operation. There is no minimum acreage requirement. CSP enrolls your entire operation into the program, not just one specific field or tract. All land must be in compliance with USDA highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions to be eligible for CSP.

What types of payments are offered through CSP?

There are three types of payments available through CSP.

1. Annual contract payments which are based on two components: Payments to maintain the existing level of conservation based on the land uses included in the contract. Payments to implement additional conservation practices and activities.
2. Supplemental payments for producers willing to implement a resource conserving crop rotation, improve an existing resource conserving crop rotation, or implement advanced grazing management.
3. Minimum contract payments for most contracts.

How It Works

CSP helps you build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation. Whether you are looking to improve grazing conditions, increase crop yields, or develop wildlife habitat, we can custom design a CSP plan to help you meet those goals. We can help you schedule timely planting of cover crops, develop a grazing plan that will improve your forage base, implement no-till to reduce erosion or manage forested areas in a way that benefits wildlife habitat. If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals.

Benefits

CSP is for working lands. It is the largest conservation program in the United States with more than 70 million acres of productive agricultural and forest land enrolled in CSP. Thousands of people voluntarily enroll in the program because it helps them enhance natural resources and improve their business operation.

CSP participants are seeing real results. Some of these benefits include:

• Increased crop yields
• Decreased inputs
• Wildlife habitat population improvements
• Increased resilience to weather extremes

2025 CSP Sign-Up Information COMING SOON

2024 CSP Sign-Up

NRCS accepts applications for CSP on a continuous basis. We announce signup cutoff deadlines as funds become available. For Fiscal Year 2024, the first application cutoff date for new CSP contracts was Oct. 3, 2023. The next application cutoff for new CSP applications is December 20, 2024.

Missouri FY2024 CSP Priority Resource Concern Categories - Ag Land

• Concentrated Erosion
• Degraded Plant Condition
• Field Sediment, Nutrient and Pathogen Loss
• Livestock Production Limitation
• Pest Pressure
• Soil Quality Limitation
• Terrestrial Habitat
• Wind and Water Erosion

Missouri FY2024 CSP Priority Resource Concern Categories - NIPF

• Air Quality Emissions
• Concentrated Erosion
• Degraded Plant Condition
• Fire Management
• Pest Pressure
• Soil Quality Limitation
• Terrestrial Habitat
• Wind and Water Erosion

Missouri FY2024 CSP Priority Resource Concern Categories - Organic Ag Land

The 2018 Farm Bill recognizes the growing interest and support of organic agriculture across the country and required the development of a transparent means by which producers may initiate organic certification while participating in a CSP contract.

The below document provides an explanation of how CSP enhancements can be used to assist organic producers:

CSP Offers Technical and Financial Assistance

The program is designed to compensate agricultural and forest producers who agree to increase their level of conservation by adopting additional conservation activities all while maintaining their baseline level of conservation.

CSP applications are selected for funding based on a competitive process that evaluates an operations existing baseline level of conservation and the additional activities selected to include in the CSP offer.

Five-year contracts are offered to those applicants that have a ranking score high enough to fall within the total funding amount Missouri is allocated for CSP each fiscal year.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) includes provisions that address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, and veteran farmers and ranchers (“historically underserved producers”).  USDA recognizes the need to be inclusive of all people and ensure equitable access to services. Special provisions are available for producers who meet the definition for historically underserved producers. Increased financial assistance for conservation practices, dedicated conservation funding, and access to advance payments for conservation practice implementation are offered to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners that fit into any of the following historically underserved groups:

• Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher
• Beginning Farmer or Rancher
• Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher
• Veteran Farmer or Rancher

For more information on Historically Underserved producers click here.

How to Get Started

The first step is to contact your local NRCS office. An NRCS conservation planner will schedule a visit to your property. They will walk the land with you to discuss your goals and review any resource concerns. Following the site visit, the conservation planner will develop a conservation plan that includes a variety of conservation practices or activities to address the resource concerns and management goals discussed. For more information on how to get started click here.