HONOLULU, March 28, 2005—Some Kauai and Maui farmers and ranchers in certain
watersheds are among those invited to participate in the first national sign
up of the historic new Conservation Security Program (CSP). The sign up will
be available from March 28 to May 27.
“CSP is a whole new direction in the history of USDA conservation programs,”
said Lawrence Yamamoto, State Conservationist in Hawaii. “While conservation
incentive programs and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers date
back to the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s, CSP represents the first time
agricultural producers are being paid not just to fix a problem but in
recognition of their ongoing stewardship and to maintain and further enhance
that conservation commitment.”
In Hawaii, CSP, is being made available on a watershed basis. The watersheds
approved this year includes Lihue and Koloa on the island of Kauai, and Hana
and Kipahulu on the island of Maui.
Nationally, CSP is available on private agricultural land in 220 watersheds,
covering about 185 million acres, in every state and the Caribbean. The
national $202 million budget will allow NRCS to offer an estimated 12,000 to
14,000 contracts to eligible farmers and ranchers.
To prepare agricultural producers for this historical new program, Yamamoto
says, “We’ve been holding workshops across eligible watershed areas on Kauai
and Maui. We hope most of the eligible producers interested in CSP have had
a chance to attend a workshop and get a first hand explanation of the new
goals and requirements associated with the program.”
The workshops explained that CSP offers three levels or tiers of
participation, depending on the amount of the farm enrolled and the current
level of documented conservation. Payments will be made based on this tier
level as well as the producer’s agreement to do additional practices to
further enhance the environment. Tier I contracts (covering part of a
farming operation) run for five years while Tier II and III contracts
(covering all of a farming operation) can extend for 10 years.
“All successful applications begin with demonstrated protection of soil and
water quality,” says Yamamoto. “This would typically mean managing a farm or
ranch using a mix of practices such as conservation tillage, pest and
nutrient management, crop rotation, cover crops and vegetation buffers.”
However, Yamamoto says that most CSP participants will go beyond the minimum
and work to further enhance soil and water, improve wildlife habitat, or
conserve or produce on-farm energy.
Payments will vary depending on the land use (e.g. cropland and grazing
land), the amount of land enrolled, the tier level and the enhancements
undertaken. One-time payments for new practices can also be included in a
contract.
To apply, interested applicants should first do a self-assessment of their
farming operation. These are available at workshops or can be obtained in
hard copy or CD version from USDA Service Centers in Lihue and Wailuku.
Additionally, the self-assessment and other program information may be
accessed at
www.hi.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.html. Once applicants have filled in
required information based on their records from the past two years, they
may call their local office for an appointment. NRCS conservationists will
then help them complete their resource inventory, determine their level of
participation and determine possible payments.
For more information, contact Jan
Surface, CSP program manager in Honolulu at (808) 541-2600 ext. 153. On
Kauai, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact
Lex Riggle, district
conservationist in Lihue at (808) 245-9014 ext. 101. On Maui, farmers and
ranchers are encouraged to contact
Ranae Ganske-Cerizo, district conservationist in Wailuku at (808)
244-3100 ext. 107. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
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