Six Kansas watersheds included in historic expansion of the nation Conservation Security Program

Six Kansas watersheds were among 202 across the nation invited to participate in a historic new program designed to reward farmers for long-term stewardship. U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman announced the selected watersheds on Tuesday, November 2, and said that sign-ups for the 2005 Conservation Security Program (CSP) would begin this winter.

CSP, part of the 2002 Farm Bill, was introduced last summer in 18 watersheds nationwide. In this first opportunity for farmers from each state to participate, about one eighth of the Nation’s eligible farmers will be given the chance to apply each year over an eight-year period.

"As an agency and as a Nation we have helped farmers and ranchers fix conservation problems such as soil erosion or water conservation since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s," said Harold Klaege, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kansas, overseeing CSP. "This, however, represents a whole new direction in conservation and agricultural policy and programs. These payments for demonstrable long-term stewardship will reward many of those who undertook conservation on their own initiative and who care for the resources we all share."

The six watersheds selected in Kansas are listed below. All watersheds in Kansas have a combined estimate of 7,003 farms with an estimated of 4.3 million acres. Furthermore the program is available on all working lands, such as pastureland, rangeland and all types of cropland where agricultural programs have not always been available.

Participants will be enrolled in one of three tiers in the program, depending on the extent of the conservation treatment in place on their farm or ranch. Payments will be based in part on this existing conservation treatment as well as their willingness to undertake additional environmental enhancements.

Klaege said that while protecting soil and water quality are the "price of admission" farmers will also have options to improve wildlife habitat, improve nutrient and pest management activities, and improve grazinglands.

"In Kansas, NRCS will offer local informational meetings in the selected 2005 watersheds to more fully explain the program to interested potential participants," said Klaege.

CSP will continue to be offered each year, on a rotational basis, in as many watersheds as funding allows. For more information on CSP and other NRCS programs see the national NRCS website or the Kansas NRCS website.

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Kansas Watersheds selected for 2005 CSP (267 KB)