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Natural Resources Conservation Service

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Conservation Stewardship Program  (CSP)

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities; and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.

Through CSP, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest lands, agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and other private agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed. Participation in the program is voluntary.

CSP Website:    http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/mn/programs/financial/csp/

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Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) provides technical and financial assistance through the USDA center, to eligible landowners to address soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on their land. It encourages landowners to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers.

CRP Website:    http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mn/technical/?cid=nrcs142p2_023675

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Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) 

EQIP provides technical assistance, cost share payments, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental and conservation improvements to their operations. EQIP may pay up to 75 percent of the costs of eligible conservation practices. Payments may be made to encourage farmers to adopt land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, wildlife habitat management, etc.

EQIP Website:    http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/mn/programs/financial/eqip/

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Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial support to help landowners.

WRP Website:    
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mn/programs/easements/?cid=nrcs142p2_023521

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Web Soil Survey (WSS)

Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information.

Web Soil Survey Website:    http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm

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