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Conservation Stewardship Program

Home / Conservation Stewardship Program

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary program offered to private landowners. It enhances the conservation practices on their property, increasing efficiency and productivity. It is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

Type of lands that qualify: Cropland, grassland, wetland, forestland
Type of program: Maintenance and incentive
Monetary benefit: Direct payment

Common conservation stewardship program practice of understory management with tractor clearing the ground under the trees.
Understory vegetation management. Photo by James Cummins

How It Works

The CSP offers enhancements to conservation practices conducted on cropland, associated agricultural land, grazing land, farmstead, and forestland. These conservation practices can help increase or promote soil and plant health, water quality, livestock production, crop production, forest products, and wildlife habitat. 

Within the CSP, there are over 200 conservation practice enhancements that landowners can choose from to build a conservation plan. A complete list of available conservation practices and bundles can be obtained on the NRCS website.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the CSP, producers and landowners must have numbers and records for their farm or land operation on file with the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

CSP contracts are valid for a total of 5 years. Since the CSP is an incentive-based program, there are different scenarios for payment, and payments will be made annually over the life of the contract.  

All CSP contracts will have an annual payment of at least $1,500; the total contract amount and payments will vary based on resource concerns met and enhancements established. The NRCS offers three activity payment options. 

Existing Activity Payments

These payments provide financial incentives for current conservation practices and resource concerns presently being met.

Additional Activity Payments

These payments are for enhancements added to existing conservation regimens or new resource concerns being met.

Supplemental Payments

These payments are intended to adopt any new or improved conservation crop rotation to their CSP contract along with existing and additional activities. 

Common Practices

Enhancement or PCNamePayment
E315AHerbaceous weed treatment$14.39/acre
E327BEstablish monarch butterfly habitat$827.31/acre
E338BShort-interval burns$82.36/acre
E612DAdding food producing species$198.40/acre
E612GTree/shrub planting for wildlife foods$1,817.49/acre
E666AForest soil quality$36.76/acre
E666DUnderstory vegetation management$246.32/acre
E666GDaylighting roads$282.73/acre
E666HIncrease carbon storage$11.33/acre
E666ICrop tree mast production MGT$363.79/acre
E666KCreating patch openings$489.14/acre
E666ODen and snags$50.56/acre
E666PBat habitat$207.70/acre
Common Enhancements for Forestry and Wildlife

How to Apply

Applications are currently being accepted for continuous sign-up at your local USDA Service Center. Contact your local NRCS office for deadlines in your state.

CSP Example

A landowner has 1,131.5 forested acres in southwest Mississippi. They would like to improve wildlife habitat and conserve soil and water on this land. NRCS will provide cost-share payments annually for a period of 5 years based on the individual practices that the landowner chooses to apply. 

The total contract payment for this property is $199,999.00 with an average annual payment of approximately $40,000.00. The approved practices include daylighting roads, creating patch-cut openings, group plantings of mast producing trees, maintaining soil quality and testing, forest stand improvements by hack and squirt, hinge cutting, mast tree and crop tree maintenance, bat habitat, dead snag retention, and carbon storage. 

NRCS Costs

Based on the above practices, the average Annual Payment to Landowner is $35.35 per acre.

Sample Calculation

Average Annual Payment to Landowner: $35.35/Acre × 1,131.5 acres = $39,998.53

Average Annual Costs to Landowner are as follows:
Forestry Mulching, Tree Planting, Herbicide, Soil Tests, Misc. $10.95/acre × 1,131.5 acres = $12,400.00

Average Annual Net Financial Gain to Landowner
$35.35/acre – $10.95/acre = $24.39/acre
$24.39/acre × 1,131.5 acres = $27,600.00

Full 5 Year Contract Net Gain to Landowner
$27,600/year × 5 years = $138,000.00

How are CSP Payments Taxed?

CSP payments are taxed at the ordinary income rate; however, if the expenses equal or exceed the revenue from the program, no tax is paid.  In the above example, after expenses, the landowner would pay ordinary income taxes on the annual net gain, or on $27,600.00.

Download CSP Flyer (PDF)

Filed Under: Direct Payment Programs

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CONTACT US

Conservation Finance Center Questions
Call Wildlife Mississippi’s Stoneville office at (662) 686-3375.

Farm Bill Program Questions
Email James L. Cummins, Executive Director of Wildlife Mississippi, at jcummins@wildlifemiss.org

Conservation Easement Questions
Email Brian Ballinger at bballinger@wildlifemiss.org

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