Johanns Announces Fiscal Year 2006 Conservation Security Program Contracts

Contact: Jasper Parker, 405-742-1243

On June 6, 2006, USDA Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the funding of 4,404 Conservation Security Program (CSP) contracts across the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam.

"This year more producers enrolled in the Conservation Security Program, demonstrating that incentives work for voluntary conservation programs," said Johanns. "The conservation benefits derived from this program will help farmers and ranchers to improve their operations and increase the quality of our natural resources, benefiting all Americans."

The fiscal year 2006 CSP contracts offered cover more than 3.7 million acres of private land in 60 watersheds nationwide, which translates to nearly a $440 million long-term investment in conservation over the next ten years. USDA expects to fully invest the $259 million provided by Congress for fiscal year 2006. That amount covers prior CSP contracts and includes $50 million for fiscal year 2006 contracts. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will begin notifying producers of the contracts.

In Oklahoma, there were 513 applications for the 2006 CSP, resulting in 439 contracts being offered. Total project contract cost for 2006 is $3,054,302, with a project contract cost for the life of these contracts (2006-2015) totaling $22,983,600.

CSP is a voluntary conservation program that rewards private landowners for their ongoing stewardship of natural resources. CSP touches all agricultural production sectors from livestock operations to cropland and from orchards and vineyards to sugar bush and nursery crops. The 2006 contracts encourage them to further conserve and improve soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on their operations, while, at the same time, creating incentives for other producers to meet those same standards of conservation performance.

Nationally, more than 8,570 applications were received during the fiscal year 2006 CSP sign-up. Environmental enhancement activities offered by applicants include improving soil quality, water quality, wildlife habitat management, nutrient and pest management, air quality management and on-farm energy management.
Payments will be made under three tiers of conservation contracts capped at $20,000, $35,000 and $45,000 annually. CSP contracts last for five years for Tier I contracts and 5-10 years for Tier II and Tier III contracts. Enrollment data for 2006 show that 99.6 percent of the applications approved include the complete agricultural operation, falling into the Tier III category for the most advanced conservationists. CSP will be available each year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows.

See additional information on the 2006 Conservation Security Program, including the self-assessment workbook and Federal Register notice, or contact your local NRCS Field Service Center.

All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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