Conservation Security Program (CSP)

Conservation Security Program (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 range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic location.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) Publication L. 107-171 amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the program. CSP is administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Agricultural producers such as individuals or entities engaged in livestock or agricultural production on working lands are eligible to participate in CSP. There are, however, circumstances that limit an individual’s or entity’s participation; these include:

  • The applicant must have control of the land for the life of the contract
  • The applicant must share in the risk of producing any crop or livestock and be entitled to a share in the crop or livestock marketed from the operation
    • The applicant must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions
  • The adjusted gross income provision of the 2002 Farm Bill impacts eligibility for CSP and several other 2002 Farm Bill programs. Individual or entities that have an average adjusted gross income exceeding $2.5 million for the three tax years immediately proceeding the year the contract is approved are not eligible to receive program benefits or payments.
  • Applicants may submit only one application. Participants can only have one active contract at any one time.

    • Land that is private agricultural land which includes cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture land, and rangeland are eligible for CSP. The majority of the agricultural operation must be within one of the selected watersheds. Land that is not eligible for CSP includes: land owned by Federal and State governments and their political subdivisions, and land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, the Wetlands reserve Program, or the Grassland Reserve Program; in addition, land accepted in a recent CRP sign-up for contract development is not eligible.

    To view more information on the program and signup visit the Conservation Security Program (CSP) website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.

    For meeting locations and dates download the flyer below:

    CSP Flyer (86 KBs)