| - The
Conservation Security Program is Planned to Support Ongoing Conservation Stewardship
of Agricultural Lands by Providing Financial and Technical Assistance to Farmers
to Maintain and Enhance Natural Resources.
- The
CSP Holds Great Promise for Rewarding Farmers Based on How They Protect and Improve
the Environment.
- Please
Write your Comments to Support the Conservation Security Program by March 20th!
On February
18, 2003, the Natural Resources Conservation Service in USDA issued an Advance
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Conservation Security Program
(CSP) and sought the public input regarding the implementation of the program
before developing a proposed rule. The
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) amended the Food Security
Act of 1985 to authorize the Conservation Security Program (CSP) (summary).
The CSP is administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance
to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant
and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working
lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture,
and rangeland, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture
operation. The
CSP is designed to identify and meaningfully reward those farmers and ranchers
meeting the very highest standards of conservation and environmental management
on their operations and to create incentives for others to do the same, while
providing public benefits for generations to come. The CSP is available to owners
and operators of agricultural operations, including Tribal farmers. The CSP will
help owners and operators of agricultural lands maintain conservation stewardship
and implement and maintain additional needed conservation practices. The conservation
benefits gained will keep farms and ranches more sustainable and profitable and
increase the benefits provided to all Americans through improved natural resources.
An inventory
will be conducted to identify resource concerns and determine the extent of conservation
treatment that is being applied and maintained on the producer's land. Payments
will include a base payment determined by the treatment level, maintenance payments
for applied conservation practices, and enhanced payments for treatment that exceeds
the minimum criteria. A three-tiered approach is used when offering payments.
If a farmer desires to move to a higher tier, cost-share payments for needed structural
practices are available through the CSP at up to 75 percent of the cost of the
new practice, or up to 90 percent in the case of beginning farmers or ranchers.
Participants may contribute to the cost of the new practice through in-kind sources,
such as personal labor, use of personal equipment, donated labor or materials,
and use of on-hand or approved used materials. Cost-shared practices are to be
maintained for the life of the practice. All needed practices and management must
be in place and maintained before a farmer can move to the next tier. THE
SAMPLE LETTER:
(NOTE: This sample letter has sections in ALL CAPITALS
that are notes to you about the letter. Please review the letter and add the information
suggested before sending it in to NRCS. Also remember to add any additional points
or expansion of points you care to.) INSERT
DATE Mark W.
Berkland
Director, Conservation Operations Division
USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service
P.O. Box 2890
Washington, D.C. 20013-2890 RE:
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Conservation Security Program,
published in the Federal Register on 2/18/03 (Fed. Reg. Vol. 68, No 32, pages
7720-7722) Dear
Mr. Berkland: PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SAY IF YOU ARE A FARMER, CONSERVATIONIST, CONSUMER, ETC.
AND MENTION ANY FARM, CONSERVATION, AND YOUR GRANGE. PLEASE INCLUDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
ABOUT THE GRANGE. The
Conservation Security Program promises to be the most innovative and exciting
program in the federal agricultural conservation toolbox and a critical new component
of U.S. farm policy. I (WE) urge you to ensure that the program fulfills its promise.
Many of us have
waited years for a program such as this, which rewards conservation farmers who
have been doing what's right all along and encourages them to do more. Conservation
farmers provide many benefits to all Americans in the form of clean air, clean
water, habitat and soil protection, and more. The CSP should recognize and reward
actual conservation benefits produced by farmers on their farms and provide incentives
for farmers to address and solve critical resource problems. I agree with NRCS'
statement that "In short, CSP should reward the best and motivate the rest." The
Administration should make the Conservation Security Program a major priority.
I (WE) urge you to: 1.
Accelerate the rule making process and launch the CSP in time to allow for significant
enrollment opportunities in Fiscal Year 2003. The statutory deadline for writing
rules to implement the CSP has already passed.
2. Ensure immediate implementation on a comprehensive, nationwide basis. The CSP
is intended for all regions of the country and all types of agriculture. 3.
Uphold and defend the CSP's status as a conservation entitlement program, as the
law requires. Once producers meet the strict requirements for approval of their
conservation plan, they should be enrolled in a contract - no delays, selection
processes, bidding systems, or waiting lists. 4.
Require strong conservation and environment standards, and reward strong environmental
performance. Positive environmental outcomes achieved by innovative producers
should be a major objective of the CSP. 5.
Retain the per farm payment limitations required by the law. Allow only one Conservation
Security Contract per individual, with no loopholes or exceptions, and strict
enforcement. 6.
Support restoration of full funding. The recently signed omnibus appropriations
bill caps the CSP at $3.77 billion through 2013. We urge you to give strong support
to the bipartisan Senate leadership commitment to remove this cap in upcoming
legislation and restore the program to its full uncapped 2002 Farm Bill funding.
Thank you for
the opportunity to comment. Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR GRANGE For
further information:
Action
Plan --- Please express your support and provide suggestions for the Conservation
Security Program by Sending comments in writing, by mail, to Mark
W. Berkland
Director, Conservation Operations Division
USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service
P.O. Box 2890
Washington, D.C. 20013-2890
or by e-mail
to FarmBillRules@usda.gov; Attn:
Conservation Security Program. Comments must be received in writing by March
20, 2003.
If you have any
questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook
Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you
for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.
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