Public Information Meetings for Conservation Security Program Announced

Salina, KS---Beginning on Monday, June 14, 2004, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will sponsor public information meetings in the two watersheds selected for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) of the 2002 Farm Bill.  These meetings will explain the details of the new CSP to area landowners and operators in the Lower Little Blue River Watershed and the Lower Salt Fork of the Arkansas River Watershed.

"We are holding the public meetings so landowners and operators in these watersheds are able to learn about the benefits of this new program," said Harold L. Klaege, NRCS State Conservationist, Salina.

"If landowners and/or operators cannot attend one of the meetings in their county, they have the option of attending another meeting in the watershed," said Klaege.

The meeting dates are as follows:

The CSP is a stewardship program providing payments to producers who maintain and enhance their natural resources. Depending on the amount of conservation now on the land, producers may be eligible for one of three tiers of payments, as follows:

• Tier 1 - soil and water concerns addressed on part of the farm operation may qualify for up to $20,000 for a 5-year contract;
• Tier 2 - soil and water concerns addressed on the entire ag operation may qualify for up to $35,000 for a 5- to 10-year contract; and
• Tier 3 - those landowners who have all their natural resource concerns addressed on the entire ag operation may qualify for up to $45,000 for a 5- to 10-year contract.

This program will require producers to complete a CSP: Self-Assessment Workbook to determine if basic CSP eligibility requirements are met on land they wish to enroll. Sometime following the initial information meeting, the field offices in the selected watersheds will be conducting small group planning sessions to work with producers who meet the eligibility requirements based on their self assessment. Times, dates, and places for the group planning sessions will be announced at the public information meetings.

"Although no announcement of a sign up date for the CSP has been made," said Klaege, "it is anticipated it will be sometime this summer."

The Lower Little Blue River Watershed covers parts of Republic, Washington, and Marshall counties in northcentral Kansas and extends into Nebraska.

Lower Salt Fork of the Arkansas River Watershed covers parts of Harper and Barber counties in southcentral Kansas and extends into Oklahoma.

These watersheds are two of 18 nationally selected watersheds to start this program. Any landowner and/or operator in the watershed area is encouraged to attend the meeting.

Similar public information meetings are also being held on the Nebraska and the Oklahoma side of the watersheds.

Additional details on CSP are available on the NRCS website.  Maps of the Kansas watersheds are available on the Kansas website.

For more information contact the local NRCS or conservation district office in the watershed.