CSP applications due Jan. 21

Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced a Jan. 21 cut-off date for applications to enroll in its Conservation Stewardship Program.

The program provides payments to farmers who maintain high levels of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Such practices include crop rotation, tillage minimization, prescribed grazing, wind barriers, filter strips and wildlife habitat enhancement.

Since 2009, the NRCS has accepted 118 contracts on more than 260,000 acres of land in Washington state. Those landowners have been paid more than $17.6 million to institute additional conservation practices.

Applications are available at the Colfax NRCS office or on the agency’s web site.