08/31/05 Two watershed added to 2006 CSP

Two north Idaho watersheds are on the list of 110 that will be eligible for the 2006 Conservation Security Program. FAGAN "They will be the Clearwater and the lower north fork of the Clearwater. We have a bunch of direct seed producers who are planting their grain crops directly back into their residue. They are just doing an amazing job of conservation up there." Jody Fagan of the Natural Resource Conservation Service says there will be a signup period sometime this fall for the voluntary CSP which recognizes farmers and ranchers for ongoing stewardship activities on their land. FAGAN "In 2005 we actually had 17 watersheds that offered Conservation Security Program signups for producers." Bruce Knight of the NRCS says CSP now covers 330 watersheds and more than 250 million acres nationwide in only two years. KNIGHT "We actually obligated over a billion dollars worth of tax dollars for rewarding cutting edge conservation through CSP, about the same amount of money we offered this year in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help people on cost share on individual practices where they want to help on conservation." The program will be offered each year in as many watersheds as funding allows. Money is the reason that only two Idaho watersheds were selected this year. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott