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The New
Conservation Stewardship Program
Ron Perry -- CSP Contract Holder

by Tim Gibbons
Columbia, Missouri



On the Ron Perry family farm.
On the Ron Perry family farm.

The new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, offers payments for adding conservation practices and maintaining and managing existing conservation practices. Unlike the previous CSP, which was watershed specific, any farmer in Missouri can now apply. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and non-industrial forestland. This article is one of three describing the advantages of the CSP. For more info contact the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC) at 573-449-1336.

Ron Perry, MRCC member and operator of a livestock and grain farming operation in Livingston County, Missouri, was interested in the Conservation Stewardship Program and stopped by a neighboring farm that was already enrolled in the program.

"After hearing about the program through MRCC, I went to NRCS and learned the specifics about CSP and figured it would work out pretty good for my farm. After visiting with my NRCS agent, including a trip to our farm, we figured out what would work. [NRCS] worked up the paperwork for me and all I had to do was sign. I also went to visit with a neighbor and told him about the program and he signed up too."

In order to comply with CSP, Ron introduced additional buffer strips around his fields, additional no-till on his crop land, employs a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer and uses “no-drift” sprayer tips for field application.

"CSP has been great so far, and I encourage other farmers to go to NRCS find out if CSP would work with their farms," says Perry.

Ron Perry-Contract Snapshot

Previous On-Farm Conservation Practices:

  • Buffer Strips
  • No-till on crop land.

Conservation Enhancements through CSP:

  • Additional and increased buffer strips.
  • Slow-release nitrogen fertilizer.
  • “No-drift” application sprayer tips.
  • Additional no-till on cropland.

Also see:

Published in In Motion Magazine July 6, 2010.


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