The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a third round of Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was passed by Congress in August 2022.
The CSP-IRA funding is now available from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Indiana to help farmers and private forestland owners implement conservation practices on their ground.
Applications for the current funding cycles for CSP-IRA are being accepted through July 21. Interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by July 21 to be considered for the current funding period.
The Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $19.5 billion nationwide over five years for climate smart agriculture through several of the conservation programs that NRCS implements. NRCS is making $850 million available nationwide in fiscal year 2023 for customers who have not been able receive funding in the past due to volume of applications in other programs.
The additional funding provided through IRA available for farmers and private forestland owners to implement a suite of core practices that NRCS has identified as playing the biggest role in mitigating the harmful effects of climate change. These practices include nutrient management improvements, cover crops, reduced tillage, forest stand improvements, prescribed grazing improvements and more. A full list of eligible practices is available at your local USDA service center.
CSP is a financial assistance program for producers who want to add more conservation benefits on their land, such as improved water and soil quality, climate-smart agricultural practices and enhanced wildlife habitat.
Source: usda.gov
Photo Credit: GettyImages-Kasinv
Categories: Indiana, Government & Policy