SIDNEY — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Ohio Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications from landowners interested in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to build on existing conservation efforts to increase operational efficiencies and environmental benefits as well as reduce overall input costs.

This year, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding is providing additional financial opportunities for select conservation practices and enhancements to increase direct climate mitigation benefits. The deadline to receive fiscal year 2023 funding for both CSP-Classic and CSP-IRA is April 7, 2023.

Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agriculture and forestry production on their land.

“In addition to the environmental benefits, NRCS conservation programs are good for your operation’s bottom line,” said John Wilson, NRCS Ohio State Conservationist. “The Conservation Stewardship Program allows farmers to address resource concerns like nutrient management, soil quality and energy use, which can really impact an operation’s margins.”

Learn more about the CSP-Classic and CSP-IRA application process and eligible land use resource concerns by contacting the Shelby County USDA Service Center at 937-492-6520, ext. 3 or email Justin Wagner at [email protected].