Farmers, ranchers, and forest owners throughout Illinois can now apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and receive payments to maintain and develop conservation practices on their land.

CSP is an innovative conservation program that rewards agricultural producers for the conservation that they already have in place, and provides funding to do more.  Producers who get into the program receive a 5 year contract with a payment cap of $200,000. In 2009 Illinois had 175,298 acres enrolled in CSP, which totaled over 4 million in payments to farmers, ranchers, and forest owners. Interested producers must submit an application to their local Natural Resources Conservation Service office by June 11, 2009 to be considered for this year’s ranking period.

 “I manage my forests to maximize their health and productivity” Says Josh Brown of Jackson County who received a 2009 CSP contract.  “CSP payments help with the cost of invasive species control, timber stand improvement, and erosion control.” 

CSP is available for all working agricultural land, whether its cropland (corn, soybeans, small grains, hay, fruits and vegetables), pasture, rangeland, or managed woodlot. 

Kevin Green, a farmer of 800 acres of corn and soybeans in Vermilion County says, “We been doing conservation, such as grassed waterways, riparian buffers, wind breaks, wetlands, and no-till beans on our farm for years.  When I signed up for CSP in 2009 I started receiving payments for the conservation practices already in place and for those we plan to start.”

“CSP rewards farmers who are good conservationists.  It helps offset the costs of expensive conservation activities that enhance soil, air, and water quality.  It directly pays farmers that promote wildlife habitat, conserve energy, and mitigate climate change” says Devin Brown, Conservation Policy Advocate at the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. 

CSP doesn’t fit everyone’s operation.  According to Ivan Dozier, Assistant State Conservationist with Illinois NRCS, “Interested farmers should complete the Producer Self-Screening Checklist to assess their eligibility for the program, which will help producers determine if the program is right for them.” 

To download the Producer Self-Screening Checklist at the NRCS website, click here, or pick it up at your local NRCS office