Conservation Stewardship Program

CSP Priority Areas

The counties in the Western Lake Erie Basin priority area include: Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams, Wood, Wyandot.

The counties in the Appalachian priority area include: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washington.

The documents below require Adobe Acrobat Reader

Map of Priority Areas (PDF, 10 Kb)

CSP Contract Payments

CSP offers participants two possible types of payments:

• Annual payment for installing and adopting additional activities, and improving, maintaining, and managing existing activities
• Supplemental payment for the adoption of resource-conserving crop rotations (see below)

Payments will be made for conservation performance payment points estimated for each agricultural operation by the Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT). Conservation performance points are unique for each agricultural operation and will be based on existing and proposed conservation activities.

Contracts cover the eligible land in the entire agricultural operation and are for five years.  For all contracts entered into, CSP payments to a person or legal entity may not exceed $40,000 in any fiscal year, and $200,000 during any 5-year period.  Each CSP contract will be limited to $200,000 over the term of the initial contract period.

Estimated Payment Ranges

Resource-Conserving Crop Rotations

A supplemental Stewardship payment may be available for participants who agree to adopt a new resource-conserving crop rotation. The local NRCS conservationist will help you identify an eligible rotation appropriate for the location and operation.

A resource-conserving crop rotation is a crop rotation that:

• Includes at least one resource conserving crop as determined by the State Conservationist;

• Reduces erosion;

• Improves soil fertility and tilth;

• Interrupts pest cycles; and

• Reduces depletion of soil moisture or otherwise reduces the need for irrigation in applicable areas.

A resource-conserving crop is one of the following:

• A perennial grass, legume, or grass/legume grown for use as forage, seed for planting, or green manure.

Ohio Resource Conserving Crops

The document below requires Adobe Acrobat Reader:

July 29, 2009 - The CSP Interim Final Rule (PDF, 134KB) Public Comment period for is open until September 28, 2009.