New York Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced February 3, 2017 as the application cutoff date for Signup 1 of the USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017.

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is among the largest working-lands conservation programs in the United States. Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners are paid for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, rotational grazing, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – while maintaining active agricultural production on their land.

Applications accepted after February 3, 2017 will only be considered in FY2017 if additional application rounds are announced. Applications not funded in FY2017 will be deferred for consideration in FY2018. All applications are competitive and are ranked based on national, state and locally identified resource priorities and the overall benefit to the environment.

If you are interested in applying for an NRCS conservation program, visit New York Natural Resources Conservation Service’s website for information on applying.

You may apply by visiting your local NRCS field office, which can be located using this website.

In Hamilton County, contact District Conservationist, Thomas Bielli, (518) 853-7003; thomas.bielli@ny.usda.gov for more information. USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender