Watersheds for 2006 CSP Selected, notes NCGA (8-29-05)
One hundred
ten watersheds, with at least one in all 50 states, Guam and Puerto
Rico, were selected last week to be eligible for the 2006 Conservation
Security Program (CSP). This brings the number of watersheds enrolled
to 330 across the United States, which include 250 million acres,
the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes.
NCGA Director of Public
Policy Lisa Kelley expressed the appreciation of corn growers to
the development of the CSP. “NCGA appreciates the time and
effort Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) took to develop
the Conservation Security Program,” she said. “We supported
the creation of CSP as a conservation program for working lands,
and we continue to work with the NRCS and others to ensure each
sign-up is successful and workable for our farmers.”
Agriculture
Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner noted the CSP was developed to recognize
the ongoing stewardship activities farmers and ranchers practice
in their daily work on their lands. "This voluntary program
recognizes farmers and ranchers for their ongoing stewardship activities
on working agricultural lands," said Conner. "Natural
resource conservation efforts by America's producers benefit everyone
through healthier soil, cleaner air and water and improved fish
and wildlife habitat. CSP successfully demonstrates a cooperative
public-private conservation partnership."
The sign-up
period will take place early in fiscal year 2006, and the watersheds
selected represent more than 120,000 of the nation's potentially
eligible farms and ranches, covering more than 46 million acres
that are evenly split between cropland and grazing land.
Like the 2005
CSP sign-up, a renewable energy component will be included in 2006.Eligible
producers will receive compensation for converting to renewable
energy fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol, recycling 100 percent
of on-farm lubricants and implementing energy production, including
wind, solar, geothermal and methane production.
For more information
on CSP, including a map of the fiscal year 2006 watersheds and eligibility
requirements, click here.