The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas has announced a second sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in fiscal year 2024. Applications for this opportunity will be accepted until June 21, 2024.
Funded through Act Now, NRCS can immediately approve and obligate a ranked application in a designated ranking pool when an application meets or exceeds a state-determined minimum ranking score, which is set at 15 for this sign-up.
The CSP program assists farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in enhancing their conservation efforts while strengthening their operations. Participants earn annual payments for five years to achieve a higher level of conservation and stewardship. A custom-designed CSP plan will be created by NRCS to meet various conservation objectives, with CSP-IRA focusing specifically on climate and clean energy initiatives.
Applications for NRCS conservation programs must be submitted by June 21, 2024, to be considered for this funding period. NRCS has streamlined the approval process for producer applications using the “Act Now” authority to pre-approve applications that meet or exceed a minimum ranking score. Eligible practices in Texas meeting the established threshold of 15 will receive priority funding under this initiative.
Interested producers, landowners, and forest managers should contact their local NRCS service center for assistance. It is recommended to schedule an appointment with the Farm Service Agency county office when applying for NRCS programs to establish or update records.
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