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1 (February 22, 2007)

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                                                                         Order Code RS21740
                                                                   Updated February 22, 2007





SCRS Report for Congress




                   Conservation Security Program:
                 Implementation and Current Issues

                                     Tadlock Cowan
        Analyst in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development Policy
                        Resources, Science, and Industry Division

        Summary


             The Conservation Security Program (CSP), authorized in the 2002 farm bill (P.L.
         107-171), is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to
         promote conservation and improvement of natural resources on tribal and private
         working lands within selected watersheds. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural
         Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Financial assistance is based on three tiers of
         participation, with each tier representing a higher degree of resource management
         standards. Contracts extend from 5 to 10 years.

             The first enrollment for CSP was in July 2004 and included 18 watersheds in 22
         states. The 2004 enrollment was controversial because NRCS instituted strict eligibility
         criteria for enrollment that were not included in the CSP authorization. A second
         enrollment in November 2005 was implemented in 220 watersheds nationwide. These
         two enrollments resulted in 15,000 contracts with landowners on 12.1 million acres of
         working agricultural lands. A third enrollment period was announced in February 2006,
         and 4,323 contracts were accepted adding more than 3.6 million acres. Most of these
         contracts fell into the two highest tiers of conservation. The 2006 enrollment included
         60 additional watersheds, and also encompassed Guam and the Caribbean. FY2006
         funding was limited to $259 million, with approximately $50 million available for new
         contracts. USDA has announced that it has no funding for new contracts in FY2007.
         This report will be updated periodically.


         Background

            CSP in the 2002 Farm Bill. The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is an
        agricultural conservation program first created in the 2002 farm bill (P. L. 107-171,
        §2001). CSP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource


        This report is an updated and revised version of a report originally written by former CRS
                                                                        (continued...)

                  Congressional Research Service   The Library of Congress
                        Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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