The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment.
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Mary Cressel (202) 690-0547
CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM SELF-ASSESSMENT WORKBOOK AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCERS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2004—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation
Service Chief Bruce Knight today announced that the self-assessment workbook is available for potential participants
in the 2005 winter sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP). CSP is a voluntary program that supports
ongoing conservation stewardship of agricultural working lands and enhances the condition of America’s natural
resources.
“The workbook is significant because "self-assessment" is a new way of doing business with NRCS. Used
as a pilot that proved successful in last year’s program, farmers and ranchers can assess their potential eligibility by
themselves on their own time at their convenience,” Knight said.
The initial self-assessment will help producers identify whether their individual agricultural operation meets
sign-up criteria and answer the question, "Have I fully addressed the minimum requirements for both soil quality and
water quality on the land I manage?” By going through the workbook, producers will get an initial idea about whether
they are eligible for CSP at this time. Local NRCS offices in the watershed will be hosting informational workshops to
provide more information about program requirements and benefits.
Producers who may not be eligible at this time can find out about other USDA programs that can help them
achieve a higher level of conservation so that they may apply for CSP in the future.
To apply for the program, NRCS asks potential participants to complete the self-assessment to determine if
their operations meet the requirements of the program and qualify for program participation. The self-assessment
pro