The Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of USDA’s final rule that make changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program. Those changes were outlined in the 2018 farm bill. Minnesota Land Stewardship Project’s Policy Program Organizer for Federal Policy Reform Tom Nuessmeier says it’s positive OMB has moved ahead with that review. He says CSP is very popular with Minnesota’s producers.
One of the major new rule changes is to simplify the ranking process for those contracts allowed into CSP. Nuessmeier says the ‘’devils in the details’ with that. He says it’s critical farmers are rewarded for their existing conservation practices.
Nuessmeier says it’s difficult to be able to incentivize farmers with their conservation practices with the pandemic going on along with low commodity prices.
Other CSP changes include confirming the validity of CSP contracts entered into prior to the 2018 farm bill enactment and authorizing the ability to extend contracts that were due to expire on or before December 31, 2019.
