CSP SIGN-UP OFFERED IN BEAVER CREEK WATERSHED

                                                                                  Contact:    Keith Culver
                                                                                                   (307) 746-3264

Newcastle, March 20, 2008—A Conservation Security Program (CSP) sign-up will be available from April 18 to May 16, for eligible private landowners in Wyoming’s Beaver Creek Watershed.  The majority of the watershed lies in Weston County, with a lesser portion in South Dakota. 

The CSP is a 2002 Farm Bill program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer recently announced that the sign-up will be available to approximately 64,000 potentially eligible farms and ranches in 51 watersheds covering more than 23.7 million acres across the Nation.

The CSP is a voluntary program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, agricultural working lands and rewards those producers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations. 

“This program is designed to assist our farmers and ranchers who are already doing an outstanding job of land stewardship,” said Xavier Montoya, NRCS state conservationist for Wyoming.  “It encourages these folks to continue to make conservation of natural resources a way of life on their operation.”

Payments can include three components:  (1) an annual stewardship component for the base level of conservation treatment, (2) an annual component for maintenance of existing conservation practices, and (3) an enhancement component for exceptional conservation effort.

The following informational meetings are scheduled for producers who may be interested in participating in the CSP.

Newcastle              April 14                1:00 pm    USDA Service Center
                                                                        Conference Room
                                                                        1225 Washington Boulevard
                                                                        Newcastle, Wyo  82701-2930

Newcastle              April 14                  7:00 pm   Same location as above

Upton                    April 15                  1:00 pm   Upton Community Center
                                                                         917 US Highway 116 N
                                                                         Upton, Wyo  82730

“Potential participants in the Beaver Creek Watershed should complete a CSP self-assessment workbook—available on the Web or from our office,” said Keith Culver, district conservationist at the Newcastle NRCS field office.  “Once the self-assessment process is complete producers submit the workbook to our staff during the sign-up period.  We’ll review the information and determine if eligibility requirements are met.”

For more information contact Keith Culver, district conservationist, NRCS, 1225 Washington Boulevard, Suite 3, Newcastle, Wyoming  82701-2930, Phone: (307) 746-3264, email: keith.culver@wy.usda.gov.