WASHINGTON,
May 19, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today
announced the priority watersheds that will be used in the fiscal year
2004 Conservation Security Program (CSP) sign-up to be held this summer.
On May 4, 2004, USDA announced the process that would be used to select
these watersheds.
“This voluntary program supports ongoing conservation
stewardship of agricultural working lands and enhances the condition of
America’s natural resources,” Veneman said. “USDA intends
to offer a signup for this program this summer.”
Selected watersheds for the fiscal year
2004 CSP sign-up are:
State |
Watershed |
Pennsylvania |
Raystown |
South
Carolina |
Saluda |
Georgia
|
Little |
Michigan
/ Indiana / Ohio |
St.
Joseph |
Indiana
/ Ohio |
Auglaize |
Minnesota
/ Iowa |
Blue
Earth |
Wisconsin |
Lower
Chippewa |
Illinois
/ Wisconsin |
Kishwaukee |
Missouri
/ Arkansas |
Little
River Ditches |
Montana
/ North Dakota |
Lower
Yellowstone |
Iowa |
East
Nishnabotna |
Nebraska
/ Kansas |
Lower
Little Blue |
Oklahoma
/ Kansas |
Lower
Salt Fork Arkansas |
New
Mexico / Texas |
Punta
De Agua |
Texas |
Hondo |
Washington |
Moses
Coulee |
Idaho |
Lemhi |
Oregon |
Umatilla |
In order to implement CSP this fiscal year,
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will begin
to train employees within the priority watersheds immediately on the basics
of the program; detailed training will occur once the interim final rule
is published in early summer. A sign-up announcement will be published
along with the interim final rule that will detail the specific program
requirements within the priority watersheds.
The U.S. Congress capped the fiscal year 2004 CSP budget
at $41.4 million. This funding allows NRCS to write 3,000 to 5,000 contracts.
Due to that limit on funding, USDA chose to offer the program in selected,
priority watersheds.
All CSP applications that meet the sign-up criteria
will be placed in an enrollment category regardless of available funding.
In addition to legal contract requirements, the categories will consider
the applicants’ current stewardship (soil condition, tillage intensity,
existing practices and activities) and will sort producers based on these
factors. Categories also will examine producers’ willingness to
perform additional conservation activities during their CSP contract.
The program will be offered each year, on a rotational
basis in as many watersheds are funded. Additional information on CSP,
including the Federal Register notices, public comments and frequently
asked questions, is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.
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