07/26/05 2005 CSP contracts announced

Farm and Ranch July 26, 2005 Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Connor on Monday announced the results of the Conservation Security Program, or CSP sign up for 2005, which involved 220 watersheds across the U.S. Connor: "All together we are offering 12,700 contracts that cover nine million acres of agricultural land. And we are providing these top conservationists over 200 million dollars to lead the way in enhancements. This is a conservation investment for us, pure and simple." The USDA says that in the Pacific Northwest it approved 468 applications in Idaho with a total projected contract cost of over 4.1 million dollars. In Oregon 597 applications were approved with contract costs estimated at 6.2 million. In Washington 224 applications for CSP were approved and the contract cost put at 7.5 million dollars. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has also extended the comment period on the interim final rule for CSP to September 9th of this year to give the public additional time to comment on key issues regarding implementation of the program. The CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural land by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources. CSP will be available each year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as funding allows. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.