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Newly Updated Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program Available

Conservation Stewardship Program

Newly Updated Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program Available

April 11, 2025

NSAC has published an updated 2025 Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The guide provides an in-depth look at the program and is designed to help farmers, ranchers, and foresters prepare and apply for this comprehensive conservation program that is authorized by the federal farm bill and administered by the US Department of […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds

February 26, 2025

Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an array of executive orders, a practice that has become common in recent years. However, abnormally, several of these executive orders triggered a pause on broad swaths of federal funding. As a result of this pause, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, General Interest, Grants and Programs

Stewarding Success: CSP Renewals Suffered in the 2018 Farm Bill Period

October 28, 2024

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Stewarding Success: Enhancing Access for Underserved Farmers in CSP

October 22, 2024

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Stewarding Success: IRA Funding is Cultivating New Conservation Acres and Farmers

October 15, 2024

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Stewarding Success: Conservation Stewardship Program

October 9, 2024

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Release: NSAC Publication Analyzes Conservation Stewardship Program Data Since the 2018 Farm Bill

October 9, 2024

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: NSAC Publication Analyzes Conservation Stewardship Program Data Since the 2018 Farm Bill Washington, DC, October 9, 2024 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) recently published a new report: Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill. This comprehensive analysis delves into Conservation […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Press Releases

Promising Conservation Results in the 2022 Agricultural Census

September 13, 2024

Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part blog series. Our first post in this series explored initial themes from the Census, while this post offers a deeper dive into conservation practices. Our next post in the series will explore what the Census shows us about local and regional food systems. In early 2024, […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Farmers and Ranchers Love the IRA’s Climate-Smart Funding. Will the House Farm Bill Pull the Rug Out from Under Them?

May 7, 2024

Farmers and ranchers across the US have been vocal in their support for the climate-smart agriculture funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act since its enactment in 2022, with demand far surpassing availability. Despite this overwhelming popularity and the demonstrated effectiveness of the IRA in addressing conservation needs, there are concerns that the House Agriculture Committee may undermine these efforts in the upcoming farm bill. Data from FY2023 shows continued oversubscription of key conservation programs and significant investment in climate-smart practices even alongside IRA funding, highlighting the ongoing need for and popularity of such initiatives. Congress is urged to maintain and even expand funding for these programs in recognition of their success and farmer demand…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Farmer Conservation Stories: Why Inflation Reduction Act Funding Must Remain Focused on Climate Change

December 15, 2023

This is the second post in a two-part blog series highlighting stories of farmers who have used practices from the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry practice list to build climate resilience and mitigation solutions. This week’s post shares stories of how farmers are preparing for and responding to climate change. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Climate Change, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Building Resilience Through the Conservation Stewardship Program

October 6, 2023

A key question in the 2023 farm bill reauthorization is whether Congress will approve a bill that builds climate resilience for farmers whose livelihoods depend on it. USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program is perhaps the single most ready-made tool for farmers to voluntarily tackle climate change. This post examines how CSP’s unique design creates greater conservation benefits than other approaches and how spending within the program shows a record of delivering support to producers ready to implement climate friendly practices on their farms…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

On IRA’s One Year Anniversary, the Top 5 Things to Know About the Historic Investment in Climate-Friendly Agriculture

August 18, 2023

Just over a year ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. The IRA invested nearly $20 billion in climate-friendly agriculture practices. As an organization that represents small and midsized-farmers across the nation, it is difficult to overstate the transformative potential of this funding to support all farmers in building vibrant and productive farms that can contribute to a climate-resilient future. As Congress inches toward Farm Bill reauthorization, this post highlights 5 key things to know about the IRA’s $20 billion investment in climate-friendly agriculture. … Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Guest Post: Still Closed Out

March 2, 2023

This guest post by Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, (IATP), provides an update on the federal conservation agriculture policy landscape since it’s 2021 publication, Closed Out: How U.S. farmers are denied access to conservation programs. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

IRA Rollout Begins: Conservation Program Application Dates Change

February 24, 2023

As of February 13, USDA began enrolling producers in working lands conservation programs using IRA funding. This blog post covers a few points farmers and food and agriculture system professionals need to know about how to access IRA funds in CSP and EQIP, and how these conservation programs will be affected…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Release: NSAC Congratulates Senate on Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Passage, Urges Swift House Action 

August 7, 2022

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) press@sustainableagriculture.net / Tel: 347.563.6408 Release: NSAC Congratulates Senate on Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Passage, Urges Swift House Action  Funding Prioritizes Climate Solutions for Agriculture and Includes Key Coalition Priorities Washington, DC, August 7, 2022 – Today the full Senate passed the Inflation Reduction […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

How do working lands conservation programs shape cover crop adoption?

June 16, 2022

A recent study led by the American Soybean Association (ASA) claims to demonstrate the differing value of two agricultural working lands conservation programs and their ability to create increased adoption of cover crops. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) takes issue with several aspects of the study. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Climate and Agriculture Legislation Roundup

June 7, 2022

During the 117th Congress, congressional legislators have introduced a number of bills that aim to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in agriculture and transform farms and the food system to better address climate challenges. In this post, NSAC summarizes those bills.
… Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Climate Change, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

CSP RENEWAL DEADLINE COMING UP QUICKLY!

April 1, 2022

Did you know that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications for contract renewals in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)? CSP is a comprehensive working lands conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to actively manage and maintain existing conservation systems and to implement additional conservation activities on land in production. The deadline to apply for a renewal is fast approaching! … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Release: NRCS Announces Improvements to CSP and EQIP

January 11, 2022

Yesterday, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) made a series of changes to its premier conservation programs to better support farmers’ ability to face climate change. … Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

Center for Rural Affairs report looks at spending under Conservation Stewardship Program

January 4, 2022

“Mapping the Money: An Analysis of Spending Under the Conservation Stewardship Program,” is a new report from the Center for Rural Affairs that traces the path of the funding, from Congress to on-the-ground conservation. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Farmers Need Our Help Tackling Climate Change

September 30, 2021

On-farm conservation is a vital part of ensuring a thriving rural landscape. Organic farmer, Paul Mugge a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), has been experimenting with ecological approaches to agriculture for many years…. Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Organic, Rural Development

Unpacking the House Appropriations Committee FY 2022 Agriculture Funding Bill

July 22, 2021

On June 30th, the House Appropriations Committee marked up and approved its fiscal year (FY) 2022 Agriculture Spending bill. The full House Appropriations Committee markup and approval followed the Agriculture Subcommittee’s approval of the funding bill on Friday, June 12. The agriculture appropriations bill includes funding for a wide range of farm and food programs, […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, General Interest, Local & Regional Food Systems, Research, Education & Extension

Farm Bill Program Addresses the Nation’s Biodiversity and Climate Crises

March 18, 2021

The Conservation Stewardship Program As our nation’s largest working lands conservation program, the Farm Bill’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), can and should be a boon for wildlife. But cuts in program funding under the previous administration left limited resources that farmers can use to enhance their conservation efforts on the lands they steward. During these […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment

Guest Post: Climbers and Farm Policy

November 3, 2020

Like it or not, the laws and policies we enact at the state, local, and federal level all play a critical role in shaping our food and farming system. The climbing and outdoor community has an important role to play in being advocates for the land that sustains us…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems

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