# Presentation: 717867

## Conservation Security Program

**Self Assessment Workbook**

***“******CSP will reward the best and******   motivate the rest.”    USDA Secretary Ann M Veneman***

## Producer Eligibility

**Do you **_**share in the risk of producing crops or livestock on this operation?**_
- Must materially participate and share in the risk of producing any crop or livestock
- Entitled to share in the crop or livestock available for marketing or would have shared had the crop or livestock been produced
- Landlords who receive only cash rent are not currently eligible to apply for CSP on that acreage

## Producer Eligibility

**Are you entitled to share in the crop or livestock available for marketing from the **_**agriculture operation**_**?**
_**Definition:**_**  “Agricultural land, and other lands determined by the NRCS Chief, under the control of the participant and operated with equipment, labor, accounting systems, and management that is substantially separate from any other unit.”**

## Producer Eligibility

**Do you have **_**control of some or all of the land you manage**_** for the life of the proposed 5 to 10 year contract period?**
**CSP participant does not need to own eligible land but must demonstrate control as shown through ownership, lease or proof of a long-standing relationship**

## Producer Eligibility

**Is your **_**average adjusted gross income**_** less than or equal to $2.5 million, or if greater than $2.5 million, did 75% come from farming, ranching or forestry?**
**Average adjusted gross income for the 3 tax years preceding the year the CSP contract is approved**

## Land Eligibility

**Is at least part of your land **_**private agricultural land**_** or Tribal land?**
**Public land is not eligible for CSP**
**Private agricultural land includes cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture and rangeland**
**Forested land that is an incidental part of an agricultural operation may be eligible **
**	**

## Land Eligibility

**Is your land in compliance with the **_**highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill**_**?**
**Answer NA if not Highly Erodible Land (HEL) or if not considered wetlands**

## Land Eligibility

**Was your cropland **_**used for crop production**_** or **_**considered cropland**_** as part of a long-term rotation for 4 out of the last 6 years prior to May 13, 2002?**
**Must be planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity**
_**Considered cropland**_** is land that is in cropland or set aside for cropland.  May be hayland that is part of a long-term rotation**

## Land Eligibility

**Is this land currently **_**enrolled**_** in the **_**Conservation Reserve Program**_**, **_**Wetlands Reserve Program**_** or **_**Grassland Reserve Program**_**?**
**Land enrolled in CRP, WRP or GRP cannot be part of the CSP contract **_**but**_**   other land in your operation may be eligible**.

- End of Initial Eligibility Assessment

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you keep _written records or documentation_ of your nutrient management activities for each field, such as yields, soil analysis, plant tissue analysis and nutrients applied – including animal waste?
- At least two years of records must be provided

**Managing Fertilizers and Nutrients**

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

**Are you managing nutrients (for example, adding supplemental nitrogen) by following a **_**nutrient management plan**_** or schedule that budgets nutrients based on soil and crop needs, and environmental risks?**
**Plan accounts for amount, source, timing and method of applying nutrients according to University of Minnesota recommendations**

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

**Do you conduct **_**soil tests**_** and/or **_**plant tissue tests**_**?**

- Soil test at least once every 4 years
- Analyzed by a soil testing lab certified according to Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship soil test lab certification standards

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- If you have _abandoned or active water wells_ in your cropland, orchard or vineyard, have you taken adequate steps to _protect ground water_?

- Abandoned or active water wells should be properly capped for future use or decommissioned

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

**If you land **_**apply animal manure or waste**_**, are you following a **_**waste utilization plan**_** that includes adequate **_**setbacks from surface waters**_** and other **_**hydrologically-active areas**_** (including **_**sinkholes, karst topography, ground water recharge areas, wetlands**_** and **_**wellheads**_**)?**

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

**If cropland, vineyards or orchards are grazed, are you **_**managing livestock access**_** to rivers, streams and other surface water?**

**Through such activities as livestock ramps or points, limiting use of riparian pastures or use exclusion**

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- If cropland, vineyards or orchards are grazed, are you following a _grazing plan_ which includes the following?
- Selecting kinds of domestic animals suited to the terrain, climate and other existing grazing area conditions
- Optimizing grazing distribution through placement of watering facilities, fences or herding techniques

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Other grazing plan criteria
- Identifying periods of grazing, rest and other treatment for each management unit
- Identifying and maintaining adequate cover on sensitive areas (riparian, wetland and other habitats of concern)
- Not negatively impacting any cultural resource or sensitive species
- Identifying and monitoring key areas and key plants to evaluate grazing management decisions

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- If cropland, vineyards or orchards are grazed, are livestock prevented from direct access to _sinkholes_, _unprotected wells_, or other _direct conduits_ to ground water?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you keep _written records or documentation_ of your pesticide application and _pest control methods_ for each field?
- At least two years of records are required

- Managing Pests

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Are you following a _pest management_ plan or schedule that includes, as needed, insects, invasive species and weeds?
- Pest management plan can include rate, method, timing, risk assessment, integrated pest management, appropriate mitigation and recordkeeping

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Are you _scouting_ for pests and using the information as a basis for applying pesticides?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Have you assessed the _environmental risks of pesticide use_ on your cropland, vineyards or orchards, and _addressed any risks with appropriate measures_?
- NRCS will assist with risk assessment through WIN-PST program or a similar assessment tool

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you grow _high residue crops_ at least 1 in 3 years in rotation, apply a mulch, use a _cover crop_ annually, and/or have _hay/pasture in rotation_?
- High residue crops can include corn, small grains or hay

- Managing Crops and Soil

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you include any of the following in your crop rotation:
- _No-till, strip-till, direct seeding or mulch-till_
- Perennial sod or hay in _rotation_
- Add organic soil amendments such as manure or compost
- Grow cover and _green manure crops_ to add biomass to the soil
- If none of the above, do your soil tests indicate an increase in organic matter?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- If you are in an area of _saline or sodic soils_, do you monitor soil salinity levels?
- This is not an issue for the <Put your watershed name here> Watershed
- Should be answered NA

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- If you have saline soils, do you use one or more of these techniques to manage salinity:  managing your irrigation and drainage water, _deep tillage, crop selection, reduction in fallow_, and/or _soil amendments_ or _planting salt tolerant crops_?
- Question should be NA

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you avoid operating equipment in your cropland, vineyards or orchards when _soils are wet_ to reduce _soil compaction_?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Is _sheet and rill erosion_ controlled?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Is _wind erosion_ controlled?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Have you _stabilized or treated ephemeral erosion_ or _classic gullies_ on your operation?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you inspect and make repairs to your irrigation system at least annually?
- Do you keep records of irrigation dates and irrigation amounts applied relative to the crop growth stage?

- Managing Irrigation

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Do you adjust your irrigation management for nutrient and pesticide applications?
- Do you control _irrigation induced erosion_, by using a _cover crop, perennial cover_, polyacrylamide (PAM), _residue management_ or _irrigation water management_?

## Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards or Orchards

- Are you following an _irrigation water management_ plan?

- End of Self Assessment for Cropland

- If you answered other than “yes” or “na” to any of the previous questions, you may not eligible for CSP at this time.

## Pastureland

- Managing Fertilizers and Nutrients

- Are you following a _grazing plan_ which includes the following?
- Selecting kinds of domestic animals suited to the terrain, climate and other existing grazing area conditions
- Optimizing grazing distribution through placement of watering facilities, fences or herding techniques

## Pastureland

- Other grazing plan criteria
- Identifying periods of grazing, rest and other treatment for each management unit
- Identifying and maintaining adequate cover on sensitive areas (riparian, wetland and other habitats of concern)
- Not negatively impacting any cultural resource or sensitive species
- Identifying and monitoring key areas and key plants to evaluate grazing management decisions

## Pastureland

- Is forage availability balanced with livestock and wildlife demands (_forage and animal balance_, including a forage production estimate, has been made, livestock numbers are identified and wildlife numbers are estimated)?

## Pastureland

- Do you conduct _soil tests_ and/or _plant tissue tests_?
- Are you managing nutrients (for example, adding supplemental N) by following a _nutrient management_ plan or schedule that budgets nutrients based on soil and plant needs and environmental risk?

## Pastureland

- Do you keep _written records or documentation_ of your pasture management activities for each field, such as grazing intensity, frequency, and duration of grazing periods, forage yields, livestock needs, soil analysis and nutrients applied, including manure?

## Pastureland

- If you have _abandoned or active water wells_ in your pasture, have you taken adequate steps to _protect ground water_?
- Are livestock prevented from direct access to _sinkholes, unprotected wells_, or other _direct conduits_ to _ground water_ to protect water quality?

## Pastureland

- If you land apply _animal manure or waste_, are you following a _waste utilization_ plan that includes adequate _setbacks from surface waters_ and other _hydrologically-active areas (including sinkholes, karst topography, seeps, ground water recharge areas, wetlands_ and _wellheads, etc.)?_

## Pastureland

- Are you _managing livestock access_ to rivers, streams and other surface water?
- Managing access to prevent degradation of the streambank through such activities as livestock ramps or points, limiting use of riparian pastures or use exclusion

## Pastureland

- Managing Pests
- Have you assessed the _environmental risks of pesticide use_ on your pasture and _addressed any risks with appropriate measures_?

## Pastureland

- Do you keep _written records or documentation_ of your pesticide application and _pest control methods_ for each grazed area – pertaining to pesticide use and insect populations?

## Pastureland

- Do you control _noxious weeds_ and undesirable brush species?
- When you control noxious weeds and undesirable brush species, are you following a _pest management_ plan that includes measures to protect water quality?

## Pastureland

- Do you manage grazing or pastureland to avoid _soil compaction_?
- Is _sheet and rill erosion_ controlled?
- Is _wind erosion_ controlled?

- Managing Forage and Soil

## Pastureland

- Have you treated or stabilized _classic gullies_ on your operation?
- If you are in an area of _saline or sodic soils_, do you monitor soil salinity levels?

## Pastureland

- Do you manage salinity through one or more of the following: _subsurface drainage_, use of _soil amendments_ or use appropriate crops (salt tolerant forage)?
- Do you manage pasture _access roads_ and trails to limit soil erosion?

## Pastureland

- Do you control _irrigation induced erosion_?
- Do you inspect and make repairs to your irrigation system at least annually?
- Do you adjust your irrigation management for nutrient and pesticide applications?

- Managing Irrigation

## Pastureland

- Are you following an _irrigation water management_ plan?

- End of Pastureland Assessment

- If you answered other than “yes” or “na” to any of the previous questions, you may not eligible for CSP at this time.

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- This section is not required, except for the highest level of CSP
- Questions in this section pertain if you wish to enroll your entire operation in CSP and help to determine if other areas within your operation meet basic program requirements

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas
- Do you inspect for leaks in pipelines, _manure storage or transfer facilities_ and equipment?
- May include but not limited to:  lagoons, runoff ponds, storage sheds, stockpiles, under house or pit storages, liquid impoundments and composting piles

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Do you manage runoff from _manure handling and feed handling areas_?
- Manure handling areas are manure is loaded or moved for transport for storage
- Feed handling areas are areas where foodstuffs for cattle are stored and transported for distribution

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Do you control runoff from traps, lots and other _livestock concentration areas_?
- Livestock in a confined area, such as a feedlot or drylot, and given supplemental feed for all of their nutritional needs
- Do you _properly dispose of livestock mortalities_?

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Wells
- Is the wellhead location appropriate and protection components in place for all potential sources of contamination?
- Sanitary well cap, tightly secured with a screened vent
- Pitless adaptor
- Other state identified components
- Surface runoff cannot reach the area immediately surrounding the well

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Is your well cased?
- Does the _well casing_ extend above the ground (meets State and local standards)?
- Are all _abandoned wells_ properly plugged?

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Fertilizer/Pesticide Storage and Handling Areas
- Is the well located a safe distance from the fertilizer/pesticide storage site and/or _mixing and loading areas_?
- If the fertilizer/pesticide storage site is located on highly permeable soil (sandy soil), is there secondary containment?

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- Is rinse water from cleaning fertilizer/pesticide application equipment properly disposed of?
- Are used pesticide containers properly disposed of?

## Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

- If you answered other than “yes” or “na” to any of the previous questions, you may not eligible for CSP at this time.

- End of Assessment for Farmstead, Headquarters or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas

## Evaluation Complete

- If you are not eligible at this time
- Use assessment to identify a smaller portion of land that may be eligible
- Identify remaining conservation work outlined in your conservation plan
- Work with NRCS office to develop plan if you do not have one in place
- Look at other conservation programs for assistance in completing conservation practices that may help you become eligible
- Obtain technical assistance from NRCS

## Describe your operation

- Describe the fields or portion of your farm that you are proposing for CSP
- Describe crop rotation and associated tillage
- Pasture rotation and associated grass management
- Describe any new or innovative activities, techniques or methods in your operation

## Step 4 - Application

- Bring following to local NRCS office
- Completed workbook
- Plan map or aerial photo of your operation
- Identification and location of practices installed
- Written records and documentation (at least 2 yrs)
- Number of acres and crop rotations for each field
- Management activities being used
- Nutrient Management
- Pest Management
- Grazing Management
- Haying

## Application

- Additional items to take to NRCS office
- Application amounts and rates for fertilizers, pesticides, manure application, etc.
- Location of wells, roads, windbreaks, storage buildings, etc.
- If you do not own the land, copies of agreements that refer to the land being offered in CSP
- Lease
- Power of attorney
- Letter from landowner indicating that you have control of farming operation

## Congratulations

- SELF ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED
- For those not eligible at this time, identify those missing components and prepare yourself for the future