United States Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service PA-1770 • June 2004

Conservation Security Program:

Self-Assessment Workbook
Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook
About This Workbook 1

About the Conservation Security Program 2

Step 1: Determine Initial Eligibility 3

Producer Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Land Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Step 1 Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Step 2: Assess Land Use 6

Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards, or Orchards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Pastureland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Rangeland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Farmstead, Headquarters, or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas . . . . . . . . . . .15

Step 2 Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

If You Are Not Eligible at This Time 18

Step 3: Describe Your Operation 19

Now That You’ve Completed This Workbook 24

Glossary of Terms (Appendix 1) 25

Examples of Written Records 40

More About CSP (Appendix 2) 42

Conservation Planning (Appendix 3) 43

Conservation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Conservation Programs and Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Water and Soil Quality Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Conservation Practice Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Contents

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook i

GLOSSARY QUESTIONS
ii Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook
• To learn more about the eligibility

requirements for CSP, go to

Appendix 2, page 42.

• To learn more about conservation

planning and for guidance on how

to move forward to address your

resource concerns, go to Appendix

3, page 43, call or visit your local

NRCS or conservation district

office, or visit the NRCS Web site:

www.nrcs.usda.gov.

• To learn more about conservation

programs that may help you reach

your conservation goals, turn to

page 44.

This workbook also is available online from www.nrcs.usda.gov. The

interactive site allows you to log on and

off at your convenience to complete the

workbook at your own pace. Also, you

may request a compact disk (CD) from

your local NRCS office; the CD will

allow you to fill out and print pages,

which you can then bring to your local

office. 

As you go through this workbook and

answer questions about your operation,

you will get a good idea about whether

you are eligible for the Conservation

Security Program (CSP) at this time.

You will answer “yes,” “no,” or “not

applicable” to most questions, and be

asked to describe your operation. If the

question covers a topic that is not relevant to your part of the country, mark

NA for not applicable. Lastly, you will

find out the next steps to start the

application process.

If you are not eligible at this time,

you will find out about programs that

can help you achieve a higher level of

conservation so that you may apply for

CSP in the future. 

• To determine your eligibility for

CSP and to self-assess your operation, turn to page 3 and begin the

self-assessment workbook.

• For definitions and photos describing terms used in this workbook,

go to the Glossary, Appendix 1,

page 25. 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 1

About This Workbook
private working lands. Working lands

include cropland, grassland, prairie

land, improved pasture, and rangeland,

as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. 

The program is available in all 50

States, the Caribbean area, and the

Pacific Basin area. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all

producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic

location.

CSP supports ongoing conservation

stewardship of agricultural lands by

providing assistance to producers to

maintain and enhance natural

resources. 

CSP is designed to reward the best

conservationists and motivate the rest.

CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance

to promote the conservation and

improvement of soil, water, air, energy,

and plant and animal life on Tribal and

2 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

About the Conservation 

Security Program
NAME OR IDENTIFIER FOR PARCEL OR LAND UNIT

ZIP CODE 

WATERSHED

And/or LEGAL LOCATION 

(Section/Township/Range)

At this time, CSP is available in selected

priority watersheds only. Producers

located within these watersheds are 

eligible to apply for the program. For

more information about the watersheds

selected, contact your local NRCS

office, or go to the NRCS Web page: 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 3

Determine Initial Eligibility

List the location for the land, or portion of land, you wish to enroll.

Note: The name or parcel identifier can be whatever term (or number) you want to use for the

operation you wish to enroll in CSP.

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

Words in BLUE are defined in Appendix 1. Mark “NA” if the question is not applicable.

PRODUCER ELIGIBILITY

1. Do you share in the risk of producing crops or livestock on this operation?

Note regarding landlords: Landlords who receive only cash payments for renting the land

are not currently eligible to apply for CSP on that acreage. Landlords who share in the risk

of producing the crop or livestock and would share in the crop or livestock produced are eligible.

2. Are you entitled to share in the crop or livestock available for marketing from

the agriculture operation?

3. 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?

4. Is your average adjusted gross income less than or equal to $2.5 million, or if

greater than $2.5 million, did 75 percent come from farming, ranching, or

forestry?

Note: To participate in CSP, your average adjusted gross income for the 3 tax years immediately preceding the year the contract is approved cannot exceed $2.5 million, unless at least

75 percent of the income was derived from agriculture.

LAND ELIGIBILITY

5. Is at least part of your land private agricultural land or Tribal land?

Note: Public land is not eligible for CSP.

6. Is your land in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill?

7. 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?

8. Is this land currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands

Reserve Program, or Grassland Reserve Program?

Note: Land enrolled in CRP, WRP, or GRP cannot be a part of the CSP contract. Other land in

your operation may be eligible. For example: You have a 1.2-acre CRP buffer on a 40-acre

parcel you wish to enroll. All but the 1.2 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program may be eligible for CSP.

4 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
STEP 1 ANSWERS (INITIAL ELIGIBILITY)

Below are the Initial Eligibility answers. If your answers differ, at this time you may not be eligible for CSP. Please

review your responses, and answer only for the land, or portion of land, that you wish to enroll in the CSP.

You can turn to Appendix 2 for information on eligibility

requirements, and go to the CSP Web page to read the specific language that covers person and land eligibility. 

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. Yes

5. Yes

6. Yes or NA – I am in compliance OR None of this land is highly

erodible or considered wetlands.

7. Yes or NA – My cropland meets this criteria OR This land is not

cropland.

8. No or NA – These acres are not enrolled in the Conservation

Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, or the Grassland

Reserve Program.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 5

QUESTIONS
Words in BLUE are defined in Appendix 1.

WHAT KIND OF LAND USES DO YOU MANAGE? 

Please check all land you wish to enroll in CSP.

 Cropland (including Hayland), Vineyards, or Orchards Page 7

Note: Cropland includes permanent hayland and hayland as part of 

a long-term rotation. Pasture that is not cultivated, but mowed for hay,

is addressed as a Pastureland land use.

 Pastureland Page 10

 Rangeland Page 13

 Farmstead, Headquarters, or Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas Page 15

The following questions help to determine if the land you wish to enroll in CSP meets 

basic program requirements.

6 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Assess Land Use

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

CROPLAND (INCLUDING HAYLAND), VINEYARDS, OR ORCHARDS

These questions help determine if the non-irrigated and irrigated cropland, hayland,

vineyards, or orchards you wish to enroll in CSP meet basic program requirements.

Each question pertains to the land you wish to enroll in CSP. Mark “NA” if the question is 

not applicable.

Managing Fertilizers and Nutrients on Cropland, Vineyards, or Orchards

1. 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?

2. 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 risk?

3. Do you conduct soil tests and/or plant tissue tests?

4. If you have abandoned or active water wells in your cropland, orchard, or

vineyard, have you taken adequate steps to protect ground water?

5. 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, saline seeps,

ground water recharge areas, wetlands, and wellheads)?

6. If cropland, vineyards, or orchards are grazed, are you managing livestock

access to rivers, streams, and other surface water?

7. 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

• 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

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 7

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

8. If cropland, vineyards, or orchards are grazed, are livestock prevented from

direct access to sinkholes, unprotected wells, or other direct conduits to

ground water?

Managing Pests on Cropland, Vineyards, or Orchards

9. Do you keep written records or documentation of your pesticide application

and pest control methods for each field?

10. Are you following a pest management plan or schedule that includes, as

needed, insects, invasive species, and weeds? 

11. Are you scouting for pests and using the information as a basis for applying

pesticides?

12. Have you assessed the environmental risks of pesticide use on your cropland,

vineyards, or orchards and addressed any risks with appropriate measures?

Managing Crops and Soil on Cropland, Vineyards, or Orchards

13. 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?

14. Do you maintain cover between the rows of your vineyards or orchards?

15. 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 improve the soil

• If none of the above, do your soil tests indicate an increase in organic matter?

16. If you are in an area of saline or sodic soils, do you monitor soil salinity levels?

17. 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?

18. Do you avoid operating equipment in your cropland, vineyards, or orchards

when soils are wet to reduce soil compaction?

8 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

19. Are sheet and rill erosion controlled?

20. Is wind erosion controlled?

21. Have you stabilized or treated ephemeral erosion or classic gullies on your

operation?

Managing Irrigation on Cropland, Vineyards, or Orchards

22. Do you inspect and make repairs to your irrigation system at least annually? 

23. Do you keep records of irrigation dates and irrigation amounts applied relative

to the crop growth stage?

24. Do you adjust your irrigation management for nutrient and pesticide applications?

25. Do you control irrigation-induced erosion, by using a cover crop, perennial

cover, polyacrylamide (PAM), residue management, or irrigation water management? 

26. Are you following an irrigation water management plan? 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 9

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

PASTURELAND

These questions help to determine if the non-irrigated and irrigated pastureland you want to

enroll in CSP meets basic program requirements. Each question pertains to the land you wish to

enroll in CSP. Mark “NA” if the question is not applicable.

Managing Water Quality on Pastureland

1. 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

• 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

2. Is forage availability balanced with livestock and wildlife demands (e.g., forage

and animal balance, including a completed forage production estimate, livestock numbers identified, and wildlife numbers estimated)?

3. 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?

4. Are you managing livestock access to rivers, streams, and other surface water?

5. Do you conduct soil tests and/or plant tissue tests?

6. Are you managing nutrients (for example, adding supplemental nitrogen) by

following a nutrient management plan or schedule that budgets nutrients

based on soil and plant needs and environmental risk?

7. If you have abandoned or active water wells in your pasture, have you taken

adequate steps to protect ground water?

8. Are livestock prevented from direct access to sinkholes, unprotected wells, or

other direct conduits to ground water to protect water quality?

10 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

9. 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, saline seeps,

ground water recharge areas, wetlands and wellheads, etc.)?

Managing Pests on Pastureland

10. Have you assessed the environmental risks of pesticide use on your pasture

and addressed any risks with appropriate measures?

11. 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?

12. Do you control noxious weeds and undesirable brush species?

13. When you control noxious weeds and undesirable brush species, are you 

following a pest management plan that includes measures to protect water

quality?

Managing Forage and Soil on Pastureland

14. Do you manage grazing on pastureland to avoid soil compaction?

15. Are sheet and rill erosion controlled?

16. Is wind erosion controlled?

17. Have you stabilized or treated classic gullies on your operation?

18. If you are in an area of saline or sodic soils, do you monitor soil salinity levels?

19. Do you manage salinity through one or more of the following: subsurface

drainage, use of soil amendments, or use of appropriate crops (salt-tolerant

forage)?

20. Do you manage pasture access roads and trails to limit soil erosion?

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 11

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

Managing Irrigation on Pastureland

21. Do you control irrigation-induced erosion? 

22. Do you inspect and make repairs to your irrigation system at least annually? 

23. Do you adjust your irrigation management for nutrient and pesticide applications?

24. Are you following an irrigation water management plan?

12 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

RANGELAND

These questions help to determine if the rangeland you wish to enroll in CSP meets basic program requirements. Each question pertains to the land you wish to enroll in CSP. Mark “NA” if

the question is not applicable.

Managing Water Quality on Rangeland

1. 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

• 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

2. Is forage availability balanced with livestock and wildlife demands (e.g., forage

and animal balance, including a completed forage production estimate, livestock numbers identified, and wildlife numbers estimated)?

3. Do you keep written records or documentation of range management activities for each grazed area—pertaining to intensity, frequency, and duration of

grazing periods, forage production, and livestock needs?

4. If you have abandoned or active water wells on your rangeland, have you

taken adequate steps to protect ground water?

5. Are livestock prevented from direct access to sinkholes, unprotected wells, or

other direct conduits to ground water to protect water quality?

6. Are you managing livestock access to rivers, streams, and other surface water

to maintain water quality?

7. 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, saline seeps,

ground water recharge areas, wetlands, and wellheads)?

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 13

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

Managing Pests on Rangeland

8. Do you keep written records or documentation of your pesticide management

for each grazed area, such as chemical use and invasive plant populations?

9. Have you assessed the environmental risks of pesticide use on your rangeland

and addressed the risks with appropriate measures?

10. Do you control noxious weeds and undesirable brush species?

11. When you control noxious weeds and undesirable brush species, are you following a pest management plan that includes measures to protect water quality?

Managing Forage and Soil on Rangeland

12. Do you manage grazing on rangeland to avoid soil compaction?

13. Have you stabilized or treated classic gullies on your operation?

14. Do you manage pasture access roads to limit soil erosion?

15. If you burn, are you following a prescribed burning plan?

14 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

FARMSTEAD, HEADQUARTERS, OR LIVESTOCK FEEDING

AND HANDLING AREAS

Note: This section is not required, except for the highest level of CSP.

These questions 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. Mark “NA” if the question

is not applicable.

Livestock Feeding and Handling Areas (production areas, including dairy,

poultry, feeding operations, etc.)

1. Do you inspect for leaks in pipelines, manure storage, or transfer facilities and

equipment?

2. Do you manage runoff from manure handling and feed handling areas?

3. Do you control runoff from traps, lots, and other livestock concentration

areas?

4. Do you properly dispose of livestock mortalities?

Wells

5. Is the wellhead location appropriate and are 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

6. Is your well cased?

7. Does the well casing extend above the ground 

(meets State and local standards)?

8. Are all abandoned wells properly plugged?

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 15

QUESTIONS
 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

 YES  NO  NA

Fertilizer/Pesticide Storage and Handling Areas

9. Is the well located a safe distance from the fertilizer/pesticide storage site

and/or mixing and loading areas?

10. If the fertilizer/pesticide storage site is located on highly permeable soil (sandy

soil), is there secondary containment?

11. Is rinse water from cleaning fertilizer/pesticide application equipment properly

disposed of?

12. Are used pesticide containers properly disposed of?

16 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

QUESTIONS
Cropland, Vineyards, or

Orchards

1. Yes or NA

2. Yes or NA

3. Yes or NA

4. Yes or NA

5. Yes or NA

6. Yes or NA

7. Yes or NA

8. Yes or NA

9. Yes or NA

10. Yes or NA

11. Yes or NA

12. Yes or NA

13. Yes or NA

14. Yes or NA

15. Yes or NA

16. Yes or NA

17. Yes or NA

18. Yes or NA

19. Yes or NA

20. Yes or NA

21. Yes or NA

22. Yes or NA

23. Yes or NA

24. Yes or NA

25. Yes or NA

26. Yes or NA

Pastureland

1. Yes or NA

2. Yes or NA

3. Yes or NA

4. Yes or NA

5. Yes or NA

6. Yes or NA

7. Yes or NA

8. Yes or NA

9. Yes or NA

10. Yes or NA

11. Yes or NA

12. Yes or NA

13. Yes or NA

14. Yes or NA

15. Yes or NA

16. Yes or NA

17. Yes or NA

18. Yes or NA

19. Yes or NA

20. Yes or NA

21. Yes or NA

22. Yes or NA

23. Yes or NA

24. Yes or NA

Rangeland

1. Yes or NA

2. Yes or NA

3. Yes or NA

4. Yes or NA

5. Yes or NA

6. Yes or NA

7. Yes or NA

8. Yes or NA

9. Yes or NA

10. Yes or NA

11. Yes or NA

12. Yes or NA

13. Yes or NA

14. Yes or NA

15. Yes or NA

Farmstead, Headquarters,

or Livestock Feeding and

Handling Areas

(Required only if you wish to enroll

your entire operation in CSP)

1. Yes or NA

2. Yes or NA 

3. Yes or NA

4. Yes or NA

5. Yes or NA

6. Yes or NA

7. Yes or NA

8. Yes or NA

9. Yes or NA

10. Yes or NA

11. Yes or NA

12. Yes or NA

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 17

STEP 2 ANSWERS (LAND USE)

Below are the self-assessment answers. If your answers differ, you may

not be eligible for CSP at this time. Please see the information on the

next page. To continue the pre-application process, go to “Describe

Your Operation” on page 19.

QUESTIONS
• Look to other conservation programs (listed in Appendix 3) for

assistance in implementing conservation practices that may help you

become eligible in the future

• Obtain technical assistance from

your local NRCS office

If you evaluated your entire operation

in the self-assessment and believe your

operation is not eligible for CSP at this

time, you may want to:

• Try the self-assessment again to

identify a smaller portion of your

land that may be eligible

• Identify the remaining conservation work outlined in your conservation plan. If you don’t have a

conservation plan, contact your

local NRCS office for help in

developing one for your farm or

ranch. To find out more about conservation planning, see Appendix 3.

18 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

If You Are Not Eligible at This Time
This page shows an EXAMPLE in green. 

Your Description begins on the next page.

Describe the fields or portion of your farm or ranch that you are 

proposing for CSP. 

AG OPERATION NAME: Jones Farm and Ranch

For the land you wish to enroll in CSP:

• Describe your crop rotation and associated tillage

OR 

• Describe your pasture rotation and associated grass management 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 19

Describe Your Operation

Land Use/

Field/Acres 

Crop Rotation/Tillage 

OR 

Pasture Rotation/Grass Management

Conservation work already

installed or in use on this

field

crop

Field 1 

28 ac.

range

North End

240 ac.

Corn/Soybean 

rotation – No-till corn into 

soybean residue. Disk corn 

residue one time prior to 

planting soybean in corn residue

Terraces, grassed 

waterway, reduced 

tillage

120 acres

2 pasture switch back

Alternative watering

sites, buffer, stream

crossing, spring burn,

salt placement
For the land you wish to enroll in CSP:

• Describe any new or innovative activities, techniques, or methods used in 

your operation

20 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

using GSAT to balance available forage and

animal demand for the year

Using Grazing and

Spatial Analysis

Tool (GSAT)

tracking yield within the field and modifying

fertilizer application throughout field based on

yield map

Yield Monitoring

Activity/technique/ Description

method
Describe the fields or portion of your farm or ranch that you are proposing for

CSP.

The name or parcel identifier can be whatever term (or number) you use for the

operation you wish to enroll in CSP.

AG OPERATION NAME:

For the land you wish to enroll in CSP:

• Describe your crop rotation and associated tillage

OR 

• Describe your pasture rotation and associated grass management 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 21

Land Use/

Field/Acres 

Crop Rotation/Tillage 

OR 

Pasture Rotation/Grass Management

Conservation work already

installed or in use on this

field

Describe Your Operation 
For the land you wish to enroll in CSP:

• Describe any new or innovative activities, techniques, or methods used in your

operation

22 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Activity/technique/ Description

method

Describe Your Operation (cont.)
staple map here staple map here

Draw a general map, or fasten a map of the land you wish to enroll in CSP here.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 23

N
Now that you have completed the selfassessment workbook, please bring the

following to your local NRCS office to

submit your application: 

1. This completed workbook

2. Plan map or aerial photo of your

operation (if available)

3. Identification (and location, if possible) of practices installed on each

field

4. The written records and documentation you’ve identified in the

workbook (at least 2 years of

records). See page 40 for examples

of records you will need. Records

can be as simple as a pocket calendar record or as complex as a computer printout.

5. Number of acres and crop rotations

for each field

6. Management activities being used,

such as nutrient management, pest

management, grazing management,

haying, etc.

7. Application amounts and rates for

fertilizers, pesticides, manure application, etc.

8. Location of wells, roads, windbreaks, storage buildings, etc.

9. If you do not own the land, copies

of agreements that refer to the land

you wish to enroll in CSP, such as

lease, power of attorney, or a letter

from the landowner indicating that

you have current control of the

farming operation.

24 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Workbook Completed!

Congratulations!
ABANDONED OR

ACTIVE WATER WELLS

ACCESS ROAD

ADDRESSED ANY RISKS

WITH APPROPRIATE MEASURES

AGRICULTURE OPERATION

APPLY ANIMAL MANURE

OR WASTE

(see image below)

A well that is abandoned cannot or will not be used for human or livestock water

consumption, or is in such a state of disrepair that ground water can no longer be

obtained from it.

Abandoned or active water wells may provide a direct link for contamination

from surface water to ground water. Agricultural chemicals, livestock waste, and

other contaminants can filter through an abandoned well and contaminate ground

water supplies.

Abandoned or active water wells should be capped for future use or decommissioned. Well decommissioning is sealing and permanently closing a water well that

is no longer in use. This practice applies to any drilled, dug, driven, bored, or otherwise constructed vertical water well determined to have no further beneficial use.

An active well is a hole drilled, dug, driven, bored, jetted or otherwise constructed to an aquifer to provide water for livestock, wildlife, irrigation, human,

and other uses. Generally, wells provide for general water needs of farming/ranching operations and facilitate proper use of vegetation on rangeland, pastures, and

wildlife areas.

An access road is a travelway to provide a safe, fixed route of travel for moving livestock, equipment, products, and supplies. This practice applies to roads that provide access to farm or ranch headquarters. 

Using management procedures and installing conservation practices that mitigate

or minimize the potential negative impacts of using pesticides. Examples include

scouting to identify localized weed infestation and treating spot areas, selecting

reduced-risk chemicals, and using available biological controls.

“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.” In

delineating an agricultural operation, Farm Service Agency farm boundaries may

be used. An applicant can aggregate farms into one contract, but only one application per sign-up period will be accepted.

The process of spreading animal feces, urine, and other material, such as bedding

material and water, onto crop fields, pastures or rangeland. It also includes injecting liquid components (wastewater) of animal waste into the soil. 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 25

Glossary of Terms

Appendix 1 – Descriptions and Definitions as used in this Workbook

Apply animal manure or waste

GLOSSARY
AVERAGE ADJUSTED

GROSS INCOME

CLASSIC GULLY

(see image below)

CONSERVATION

RESERVE PROGRAM

CONSIDERED CROPLAND

CONTOUR BUFFER STRIPS

(see image below)

CONTROL OF SOME OR

ALL OF THE LAND

YOU MANAGE

To participate in CSP, your average adjusted gross income (AGI) for the 3 tax years

immediately preceding the year the contract is approved cannot exceed $2.5 million. You may participate if your AGI exceeds $2.5 million and at least 75 percent

of your AGI was derived from farming, ranching, or forestry operations. As

defined in the 2002 Farm Bill, "average adjusted gross income" means the 3-year

average of the adjusted gross income or comparable measure of the individual or

entity over the 3 preceding tax years, as determined by the Secretary. The 3 preceding tax years would be the 3 years before the year for which the benefits are being

requested. 

Erosion caused by the action of runoff water in concentrated flow channels. These

flow channels are well-defined, permanent drainageways that cannot be crossed by

ordinary farming operations.

A voluntary program for agricultural landowners. Participants receive annual

rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible land. More information about CRP is available at:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp/

Also see cropland definition. Land that is in cropland, or set aside for cropland. It

may be in hayland as part of a long-term rotation. 

Strips of perennial vegetation alternated down the slope with cultivated strips that

are farmed on the contour. Contour buffer strips usually are narrower than the cultivated strips. Vegetation in strips consists of grasses or a mixture of grasses and

legumes.

The CSP participant does not need to own eligible land, but must demonstrate

control of the land for the life of the CSP contract through ownership, a lease, or

proof of a long-standing relationship as determined by NRCS. If the applicant is a

tenant, the applicant must provide NRCS with the written evidence or assurance

of control from the landowner.

26 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Classic gully Contour buffer strips

GLOSSARY
COVER

(see image below)

COVER CROP

CROPLAND (INCLUDING HAYLAND), 

VINEYARDS, OR ORCHARDS

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 27

Cover

Establishing and maintaining vegetation or mulch to protect soil and water

resources. Cover may be permanent or temporary.

Grasses, legumes, forbs, or other herbaceous plants established for seasonal cover

and conservation purposes. Examples include erosion control, nutrient cycling,

carbon addition, wildlife habitat, and moisture regulation.

A land cover/use category that includes areas used for the production of adapted

crops for harvest. Two subcategories of cropland are recognized: cultivated and

noncultivated. Cultivated land is row crops or close-grown crops and hayland or

pastureland that is in a rotation with row or close-grown crops. Noncultivated

cropland includes permanent hayland and horticultural cropland. Some categories

and sub-categories are:

• Row crops: Cultivated cropland comprising land in row crops, such as corn,

soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, sorghum, sugar beets, sunflowers, tobacco, vegetables, and cotton.

• Hayland: Cropland managed for the production of forage crops that are

machine harvested. These crops may be grasses, legumes, or a combination.

Hayland also includes land in set-aside or other short-term agricultural programs.

• Horticultural cropland: Cropland used for growing fruit, nut, berry, vineyard,

and other bush fruit and similar crops. Commercial flower operations, including bulb and seed production, ornamental cutting, and sales, are included.

• Close-grown crops: Crops generally drill-seeded or broadcast, such as wheat,

oats, rice, barley, and flax.

• Fallow: Cropland which has been left idle, either tilled or untilled, during the

whole or greater portion of the growing season.

GLOSSARY
CROP SELECTION

DEEP TILLAGE

DIRECT CONDUITS

ENROLLED

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS

OF PESTICIDE USE

EPHEMERAL EROSION

(see image below)

FARMSTEADS, HEADQUARTERS, 

OR LIVESTOCK FEEDING AND

HANDLING AREAS

(see image below)

Selection of salt-tolerant crops can help produce satisfactory yields under saline

conditions. The use of special management practices to minimize salinity can also

favor crop growth.

Performing tillage operations below the normal tillage depth to modify the physical or chemical properties of a soil; may be used to address a salinity problem.

More information about salinity in agriculture is available from the NRCS

National Water and Climate Center at: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/salinity/

Channels for unimpeded flow of unfiltered contaminants to ground water. Unprotected wells, drainage wells, and sinkholes can act as direct conduits to ground

water. 

The acres or area in question shall be considered enrolled in a conservation program at the time funds have been committed, a "tentative acceptance" letter has

been sent to the participant, and the participant has indicated an interest to continue in the program.

The process that analyzes soil characteristics, pesticide properties (toxicity, solubility, affinity for soil organic matter), management factors (pesticide timing, application rate, tillage type, method, form), and climate to evaluate the risks associated

with pesticide use. 

Erosion that occurs from the action of runoff water which concentrates in shallow

flow channels when rills converge. These flow channels are obliterated or masked

when filled with soil by tillage operations and re-formed in the same general location by subsequent runoff events.

Dwellings, outbuildings, barns, pens, corrals, confined livestock areas, and feeding

and handling areas.

28 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Ephemeral erosion Farmsteads, headquarters, or livestock feeding and handling areas

GLOSSARY
FORAGE AND ANIMAL BALANCE

(see image below)

GRASSLAND RESERVE PROGRAM

GRAZING PLAN

(see image below)

GREEN MANURE CROPS

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 29

Forage and animal balance Grazing plan

The total amount of available grazing forage and the addition of any roughage

supply (hay, silage, green chop, etc.) balanced with the amount to be consumed by

the total number of livestock and wildlife to meet their daily consumption needs.

A voluntary program that helps landowners and operators restore and protect

grassland, including rangeland, and pastureland, and certain other lands, while

maintaining the areas as grazing lands. The program emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and grassland and land containing

shrubs and forbs under the greatest threat of conversion. More information on

GRP is available at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/GRP/

Involves managing the controlled harvest of vegetation with grazing animals,

including:

• 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

• 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

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Prescribed Grazing.

Close-growing crops that provide soil protection, seeding protection, and soil

improvement between periods of normal crop production, and are incorporated

into the soil. 

GLOSSARY
GROUND WATER

RECHARGE AREAS

HAY/PASTURE IN ROTATION

(see image below)

HAYLAND

HIGH-RESIDUE CROPS

(see image below)

Places on the land where precipitation or surface water percolates through the soil

to an underground bed or layer of earth, gravel, or porous stone that stores and

yields water. Ground water flows in permeable geologic formations called aquifers,

which are natural zones beneath the Earth's surface that often yield economically

important amounts of water. 

Rotating long-term stands of hay or pasture with annual row crops for more than

2 years. This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system

to support one or more of the following: reduce soil erosion from wind; reduce

sheet and rill erosion; maintain or improve soil organic matter; manage the balance

of plant nutrients; improve water use efficiency; manage saline seeps; manage plant

pests (weeds, insects, and diseases); provide food for domestic livestock; provide

food and cover for wildlife.

See cropland. Includes permanent hayland and hayland as part of a long-term

rotation. For the CSP self-assessment, hayland is included as a cropland land use.

Pasture that is not cultivated, but is mowed for hay, is addressed as a pastureland

land use.

Crops that produce and leave high levels (more than 3,000 pounds per acre) of

biomass in the field after crop harvest. High-residue crops can include corn, small

grains, hay, and other crops expected to produce adequate crop residue for soil

improvement and protection from erosion. The crop aftermath is left to protect

the soil.

30 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Hay/pasture in rotation High-residue crops

GLOSSARY
HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND

AND WETLAND CONSERVATION

PROVISIONS OF THE

1985 FARM BILL

HYDROLOGICALLY ACTIVE AREAS

IRRIGATION-INDUCED EROSION

IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT

(see image below)

The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, requires that all persons that produce

agriculture commodities must protect all cropland classified as being highly erodible from excessive erosion. The provisions have been amended in the 1990, 1996,

and 2002 Farm Bills. The purpose of these provisions is to remove the incentive to

produce annually tilled agricultural commodity crops on highly erodible land

(HEL) unless the HEL cropland is protected from excessive soil erosion.

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/helc/

Areas such as sinkholes, wellheads, and rapidly permeable soil areas with direct

access to ground water recharge areas or ground water. 

The flow of irrigation water which causes soil erosion, which removes topsoil and

organic material needed to maintain or improve soil condition. 

The process of determining and controlling the volume, frequency, and application rate of irrigation water in a planned, efficient manner. An irrigation water

management plan can include:

• Records of irrigation dates and irrigation amounts applied relative to the crop

growth stage

• Monitoring soil moisture, using techniques such as gypsum block, tensiometer,

or other technology

• Using irrigation scheduling techniques such as checkbook, evaporation pan,

local climatic network, or similar technique

• Matching your crop production goals, crop variety, and planting dates to available water supply or projections

• Adjusting the timing, rate, and duration of water application to meet the crop

needs

• Adjusting your irrigation management for nutrient and pesticide applications

• Using a tailwater recovery system

• Inspecting and making repairs to your irrigation system at least annually

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Irrigation Water Management.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 31

Irrigation water management

GLOSSARY
KARST TOPOGRAPHY

LIVESTOCK CONCENTRATION

AREAS

(see image below)

MANAGING LIVESTOCK ACCESS

(see image below)

MANURE HANDLING AND

FEED HANDLING AREAS

(see image below)

Limestone areas with a topography peculiar to and dependent upon underground

waters or solutions and that direct surface waters to underground routes. 

Livestock in a confined area, such as a feedlot or drylot, and given supplemental

feed for all of their nutritional needs. 

Managing or limiting access of livestock to streams, ponds, surface waters, and

waterways to prevent degradation of the streambank through activities such as the

use of livestock access ramps or points, limiting use of riparian pastures, or use

exclusion. 

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Use Exclusion.

Manure handling areas are areas where manure is loaded or moved for transport or

storage. Feed handling areas are areas where foodstuffs for cattle are stored and

transported for distribution. These areas are generally at a farm headquarters location.

32 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Livestock concentration areas Managing livestock access Manure handling and feed handling areas

GLOSSARY
MANURE STORAGE OR

TRANSFER FACILITIES

(see image below)

MIXING AND LOADING AREAS

(see image below)

NO-TILL, STRIP-TILL, 

DIRECT SEEDING, OR

MULCH-TILL

(see image below)

NOXIOUS WEEDS

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Areas designed to store or transfer livestock manure. Livestock waste includes

manure that may also contain bedding, spilled feed, water, or soil. It also can

include wastes not particularly associated with manure, such as milking center or

washing wastes, and milk, hair, feathers, or other debris. The manure storage area

includes, but is not limited to, lagoons, runoff ponds, storage sheds, stockpiles,

under house or pit storages, liquid impoundments, and composting piles. 

Areas for pesticide or fertilizer mixing and loading. 

Managing the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant

residues on the soil surface year-round, while growing crops in narrow slots, or

tilled or residue-free strips in soil previously untilled by full-width inversion implements. The soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting, except for nutrient

injection. Seeds are placed in a narrow seedbed or slot made by coulter(s), row

cleaners, disk openers, in-row chisels, or Rototillers, where no more than one-third

of the row width is disturbed. Weeds are controlled primarily with herbicides. Row

cultivation for emergency weed control utilizes undercutting implements that

minimize residue burial.

Plant species that have been designated "noxious" by law. The word "noxious"

means harmful. 

Accounts for the amount, source, timing, and method of applying nutrients to a

growing crop. Regular soil testing, which estimates the availability of nutrients to

plants, is necessary to monitor the balance of phosphorus, potassium, and other

nutrients over the crop rotation. Plant tissue analysis complements soil testing by

measuring the nutrients actually taken up by the plant. 

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Nutrient Management.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 33

Manure storage or transfer facilities Mixing and loading areas No-till

GLOSSARY
PAM

PASTURELAND

(see image below)

PERENNIAL COVER

PEST CONTROL METHODS

PEST MANAGEMENT

PITLESS ADAPTER

PLANT TISSUE TESTS

Water-soluble anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) applied to soils in irrigation water to

control soil losses from furrows. The polymers in PAM help give the surface soils

more stability. PAM is an environmentally safe industrial flocculent. 

Land managed primarily for the production of introduced forage plants. Pastureland cover may consist of a single species, a grass mixture, or a grass-legume mixture. Management usually consists of cultural treatments, such as fertilization,

weed control, reseeding, or renovation, and prescribed grazing. 

Grasses, forbs, and legumes maintained as ground cover to protect soil year-round.

Perennial species live through more than two growing seasons. Other crops, such

as some clovers, have a 2-year growth cycle. 

Include consideration of both the environmental and human health impacts.

There are a number of effective methods that, when used properly, reduce pest

populations to economically acceptable levels, including pesticides and biological

and cultural techniques.

Using environmentally sensitive prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression strategies to manage weeds, insects, diseases, animals, and other organisms

(including invasive and non-invasive species) that directly or indirectly cause damage or annoyance. 

A pest management plan can include: rate, method, timing, risk assessment,

integrated pest management, appropriate mitigation, and recordkeeping.

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Pest Management.

A special pipe fitting that fits on a well casing to provide a sanitary and frost-proof

seal between the casing and the water line.

Plant tissue analysis complements soil testing by measuring the nutrients actually

contained in the plant. Secondary nutrients and micronutrients not routinely

measured in soil tests can be measured in plant tissue. 

34 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Pastureland

GLOSSARY
PRESCRIBED BURNING

(see image below)

PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL LAND

PROPERLY DISPOSE OF

LIVESTOCK MORTALITIES

PROTECT GROUND WATER

RANGELAND

REDUCTION IN FALLOW

RESIDUE MANAGEMENT

(see image below)

A carefully planned activity to safely apply fire to predetermined areas on rangeland, native pasture, pastureland, or hayland to obtain management objectives,

such as brush removal or to favor native or indigenous plants. 

See Conservation Practice Sheet for Prescribed Burning.

To be eligible for enrollment in CSP, land must be private agricultural land

(including cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture land, and rangeland), land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and

forested land that is an incidental part of an agricultural operation.

Treatment or disposal of livestock and poultry carcasses by off-the-farm animal

mortality facilities or processes or by on-farm facilities.

Storing chemicals, gasoline, oil, etc., away from the wellhead and periodic inspection to protect ground water and maintain the condition where concentration criteria for a particular pollutant or limits on a condition (e.g., bad taste) are within

tolerance, thereby allowing safe use of water by humans or animals.

Land on which the climax or potential plant cover is composed principally of

native grasses, grass-like plants, forbs or shrubs suitable for grazing and browsing,

and introduced forage species that are managed like rangeland. This would include

areas where introduced hardy and persistent grasses, such as crested wheatgrass, are

planted and practices, such as deferred grazing, burning, chaining, and rotational

grazing, are used with little or no chemicals or fertilizer being applied. Grassland,

savannas, many wetlands, some deserts, and tundra are considered rangeland. Certain low-growing forb and shrub communities, such as mesquite, chaparral,

mountain shrub, and pinyon-juniper, are also included as rangeland. 

More frequent cropping to reduce fallow periods and improve water uptake to

address salt-affected soils.

Managing the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant

residues on the soil surface year-round, while growing crops.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 35

Prescribed burning Residue management

GLOSSARY
RIPARIAN VEGETATION

(see image below)

ROTATION

SALINE AND SODIC SOILS

SALINE SEEPS

SALT-TOLERANT CROPS

SCOUTING

(see image below)

SETBACKS FROM

SURFACE WATERS

Ecosystems that occur along water courses or at the fringe of water bodies. Riparian cover consists of grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, trees, and shrubs. 

See Conservation Practice Sheets for Riparian Forest Buffer or Riparian Herbaceous

Buffer.

Alternating crops in a planned sequence to provide diversity and crop residue

needed for erosion control, soil conditioning, and pest management purposes.

Includes soils that have a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of values of 13 and

greater. Salt is sufficiently high in concentration that crop yields are adversely

affected. These soils may require amendment applications, as determined by soil

testing, to replace adsorbed sodium with soluble calcium. Monitoring saline soils

may be part of a soil salinity plan that includes management of land, water, and

plants to control subsurface soil water movement and to minimize accumulations

of salts on the soil surface and in the root zone of nonirrigated saline seep areas.

For more information about salinity in agriculture, visit the NRCS National Water

and Climate Center at: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/salinity/

An area on the landscape where saline water leaches to the surface.

Salt tolerance can change during the life cycle of a plant. Generally, sugar beets,

cotton, barley, grapes, wheat, alfalfa, red clover, beans, and citrus are known for a

level of salt tolerance.

Scouting, or monitoring pest populations, is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) system. IPM prescribes treating the portions of a farm or field that

have identified higher than threshold levels of pests, rather than treating the whole

field, resulting in using less applied farm chemicals. 

A distance from gullies, ditches, streams, and rivers (surface water or direct conduits), within which manure, wastes, and pesticides should not be applied. The

setback or buffer distance is based on slope, soils, vegetation, and sensitivity of the

watershed. 

36 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Riparian vegetation Scouting

GLOSSARY
SHARE IN THE RISK OF

PRODUCING CROPS OR

LIVESTOCK ON THIS OPERATION

SHEET AND RILL EROSION

(see image below)

SINKHOLES

(see image below)

SOIL AMENDMENTS

SOIL COMPACTION

SOIL MOISTURE MONITORING

(see image below)

SOIL TESTS

An owner, operator, landlord, tenant, or sharecropper who materially participates

and shares in the risk of producing any crop or livestock; and is entitled to share in

the crop or livestock available for marketing from a farm (or would have shared

had the crop or livestock been produced).

The wearing away of topsoil by raindrop impact that detaches and removes soil

from one point on the Earth's surface and deposits it elsewhere. Sheet erosion

refers to the removal of a relatively uniform thin layer of soil from the land surface

by rainfall and surface runoff. Rill erosion refers to the erosion process on sloping

fields in which numerous and random small channels are formed by water; occurs

mainly on recently cultivated soils.

A surface opening that has direct connection to ground water. 

The compounds added to correct saline-sodic soils, based on the amount of

sodium in the soil related to the soil pH. Gypsum is the most commonly used soil

amendment.

An increase in soil bulk density, and decrease in soil porosity, due to mechanical

forces or livestock, which can limit root growth.

In grazing terms, soil compaction is influenced by animal concentration and

length of grazing period, as well as soil moisture and soil texture. If the soils are too

moist during grazing periods, layers immediately below the surface can become

compact and impede water and air infiltration, as well as root growth. Rotating or

moving winter feeding areas helps prevent compaction.

The process of applying irrigation water based on measuring soil moisture and the

plant-available water holding capacity of the soil.

A chemical, physical, or biological procedure that estimates the availability of

nutrients to support plant growth. Generally, an analysis of nitrogen, phosphorus,

and potassium is provided.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 37

Sheet and rill erosion Sinkholes Soil moisture monitoring

GLOSSARY
SOILS ARE WET

STABILIZED OR TREATED

SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE

SURFACE WATERS

(see image below)

TAILWATER RECOVERY SYSTEM

(see image below)

UNPROTECTED WELLS

USED FOR CROP PRODUCTION

WASTE UTILIZATION

(see image below)

Working or grazing wet soil tends to compress the soil particles so that they

become more tightly packed, leaving less room for penetration of water and air.

This also makes it more difficult for plant roots to move through the soil. Wet soils

are more often a problem in fine textured soils. ‘Fine textured soils’ is a broad

group of soils with large quantities of silt, clay, and other fine particles.

Ephemeral erosion control practices that can include the use of waterways, modified tillage, terraces, contour buffer strips, or a combination of appropriate practices. Classic gullies require additional grade stabilization. Grade stabilization may

include a structure used to control the grade and head cutting in natural or artificial channels. 

Below-ground movement of water that may be diverted by conduits or impervious

soil strata.

All water occurring above ground. This includes wetlands, lakes, rivers, and

streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs,

prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or ponds.

A practice or group of practices installed to collect, store, and reuse irrigation

water.

Old wells, improperly installed wells, and abandoned or active water wells that

impact ground water. Runoff can carry contaminated water into low-rising,

unprotected well openings.

Well decommissioning is sealing and permanently closing a water well that is no

longer in use. This practice applies to any drilled, dug, driven, bored, or otherwise

constructed vertical water well determined to have no further beneficial use.

Land that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity 4 out of

the last 6 years prior to May 13, 2002.

Using agricultural waste, such as manure and wastewater or other organic residues,

on land in an environmentally acceptable manner while maintaining or improving

soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources. 

38 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

Surface waters Tailwater recovery system Waste utilization

GLOSSARY
WELL CASING

WELLHEADS

WETLANDS

(see image below)

WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM

WIND EROSION

(see image below)

WRITTEN RECORDS OR

DOCUMENTATION

(see image below 

and examples on 

following pages)

Maintains the well opening and is generally steel or PVC in drilled wells. Well casing should extend to at least 1 foot above ground or above the 100-year flood level.

That portion of the well that extends above ground level and offers a direct opening to ground water. 

Areas inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in

saturated hydric soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes,

bogs, and similar areas. 

A voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible

landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and related natural

resource concerns on private lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides an opportunity for landowners to receive

financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land

from agriculture. More information on WRP is available at:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/

The wearing away of topsoil by winds that abrade, detach, and remove soil from

one point on the Earth's surface and deposit it elsewhere. 

Field diaries and logs which may include names, rates, and dates of application of

all fertilizers, manures, composts, and pesticides. 

On range and pastures, this means keeping records on grazing rates, timing, and

animal distribution to keep both livestock and forage plants healthy and to protect

soil and water quality. Documentation needed to support such criteria may

include (but would not be limited to):

• Grazing duration, frequency, timing and rest by management unit

• Hay harvest and yields

• Kind, type, size, and number of grazing animals

• Site and production by management unit

• Weather and other climate information

• Monitoring sites information

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 39

Wetlands Wind erosion Written records or documentation

GLOSSARY
Field Record Example – CROPLAND

40 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

GLOSSARY
Field Record Examples – PASTURE AND RANGE

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 41

GLOSSARY
Because of the rigorous eligibility

criteria required for this year’s CSP, the

current level of conservation activity on

your operation may not qualify for a

CSP contract at this time. However,

you may be eligible for a wide range of

other conservation assistance programs

that can help you address natural

resource concerns to a level that could

help you qualify for CSP in the future. 

If you are not eligible this year, your

next steps will include setting your

objectives based on your natural

resource concerns and farming/ranching operation, developing a conservation plan, and finding the appropriate

educational, financial, and technical

assistance to help you. 

Treatment Requirements

• All CSP producers must meet minimum treatment criteria for soil

quality and water quality

• Techniques to achieve soil and

water criteria will vary, depending

on your farm’s slope, climate, and

other characteristics

• Treatment may include managing

nutrients and pesticides, erosion

control, and buffers

CONSERVATION SECURITY

PROGRAM (CSP)

CSP is a voluntary program that has a

unique role among USDA conservation

programs. CSP identifies and rewards

the Nation’s premier farm and ranch

land conservationists who meet the

highest standards of conservation environmental management.

Initial Eligibility

CSP is available to agricultural producers, including Tribal producers. Private

agricultural land (including cropland,

grassland, prairie land, improved pasture land, and rangeland), land under

the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and

forested land that is an incidental part

of the agricultural operation are eligible

for enrollment in CSP. Land enrolled in

the Conservation Reserve Program,

Wetlands Reserve Program, and Grassland Reserve Program, and land converted to cropland after the enactment

of the CSP legislation are not eligible.

Self-Assessment 

The CSP-self assessment process

enables farmers and ranchers to evaluate their eligibility for the program. 

You may apply on all or on a portion

of your land. You will identify and

describe the land unit in the self-assessment.

42 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

More About CSP

Appendix 2
Conservation planning helps clients,

conservationists, and others view the

environment as a living system of

which humans are an integral part. It

enables clients and planners to analyze

and work with complex natural

processes in definable and measurable

terms.

Developing a conservation plan for

your farm or ranch is a key step in

achieving your conservation objectives.

A conservation plan will not only provide the foundation for your participation in the Conservation Security

Program and other conservation programs but it can help you:

• Provide sustainability in natural

resource management 

• Receive funding through Farm Bill

programs

• Save money through increased productivity

• Increase your property value

• Enhance open space and wildlife

habitat

• Improve animal health

• Prevent off-farm impacts

• Improve plant health and vigor

• Promote good neighbor relations

• Compete for State and Federal

cost-share programs

• Promote health and safety for your

family

Conservation planning can help you identify

resource issues for treatment.

CONSERVATION PLAN

A conservation plan is record of the

client's decisions for addressing natural

resource concerns on a farm, ranch, or

other unit of land or water. The plan

results from a decision making process

that documents practices needed to

meet producer objectives and the Field

Office Technical Guide quality criteria

for identified resource problems.

A conservation plan may operate on

a number of levels, depending on the

goals and commitment level of the land

owner. The plan can outline ways to

meet the required conservation treatments for a specific program, or it may

describe a situation where all natural

resources of the land and water are

being fully protected or even enhanced.

The Natural Resources Conservation

Service (NRCS) provides conservation

planning and technical assistance to

clients (individuals, groups, and units

of government). These clients develop

and implement conservation plans to

protect, conserve, and enhance natural

resources (soil, water, air, plants, and

animals) within their related social and

economic interests.

The success of conservation planning and implementation depends

upon the voluntary participation of

clients. The planning process used by

NRCS is based on the premise that

clients will make and implement sound

decisions if they understand their

resources, natural resource problems

and opportunities, and the effects of

their decisions.

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 43

Conservation Planning

Appendix 3
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP):

WRP is a voluntary program offering

landowners the opportunity to protect,

restore, and enhance wetlands on their

property. Easements and restoration

payments are offered as part of the program. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/ 

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

(WHIP): WHIP is a voluntary program for people who want to develop

and improve wildlife habitat primarily

on private land. Cost-share payments

for construction or re-establishment of

wetlands may be included. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/ 

Agricultural Management Assistance

(AMA): AMA provides cost-share 

assistance to agricultural producers for

constructing or improving water management structures or irrigation structures; planting trees for windbreaks or

to improve water quality; and mitigating risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices,

including soil erosion control, integrated pest management, or transition

to organic farming. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ama/ 

Conservation Reserve Program

(CRP): CRP is a land retirement program for blocks of land or strips of land

that protect the soil and water resource,

such as buffers and grassed waterways. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp/ 

Conservation Technical Assistance

(CTA): CTA provides free technical

assistance to help farmers and ranchers

identify and solve natural resource

problems on their farms and ranches.

This might come as advice and counsel,

through the design and implementation

of a practice or treatment or as part of

an active conservation plan. This is provided through your local Conservation

District and NRCS. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cta/ 

Environmental Quality Incentives

Program (EQIP): EQIP offers costshare and incentive payments and technical help to assist eligible participants

in installing or implementing structural

and management practices on eligible

agricultural land. 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/ 

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

AND ASSISTANCE

The conservation programs described

below may help in solving your

resource concerns. For more information on these and other programs,

check the Web sites listed below for

each program, visit NRCS at:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/, or contact

your local NRCS office.

NOTE:

• Producers can get cost-share assistance to plan and install conservation practices, such as terraces,

buffers, nutrient and pest management, irrigation water management, grazing management, and

wildlife habitat management

through programs such as EQIP

and AMA.

• Assistance is available to help producers with buffers, filter strips,

and windbreaks to control runoff

into streams and to provide wildlife

habitat through WHIP, the Continuous CRP, EQIP, and AMA.

• Technical and financial assistance

to develop upland, wetland, riparian, and aquatic habitat areas is

available through WHIP. 

• Technical and financial assistance to

landowners interested in restoring

converted cropland back into wetlands is available through WRP. 

44 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook
WATER AND SOIL

QUALITY CRITERIA

Addressing soil and water quality

resource concerns demonstrates a

strong commitment to conservation. 

Meeting quality criteria to treatment

levels is required to address resource

concerns for a particular land area.

Established in accordance with local,

State, and Federal programs, quality

criteria address regulations in consideration of ecological, economic, and

social effects. Quality criteria are

located in the Field Office Technical

Guide, Section III, available in local

NRCS offices.

Some examples of water and soil

quality criteria are listed below:

Water Quality (Surface water)

• Harmful Levels of Pesticides in

Surface Water – Pesticides are

applied, stored, handled, disposed

of, and managed such that surface

water uses are not adversely

affected

• Excessive Nutrients and Organics

in Surface Water – Nutrients and

organics are stored, handled, disposed of, and managed such that

surface water uses are not adversely

affected

Soil Quality

• Sheet/Rill Erosion – Sheet and rill

erosion do not exceed the Soil Loss

Tolerance “T”

• Wind Erosion – Wind erosion does

not exceed the Soil Loss Tolerance

“T” or, for plant damage, does not

exceed Crop Damage Tolerances

• Ephemeral Gully Erosion – Surface

water runoff is controlled sufficiently to stabilize the small channels and prevent recurrence of new

channels

• Classic Gully Erosion – Surface

water runoff is controlled sufficiently to stop progression of headcutting and widening

• Irrigation-Induced Erosion – 

Irrigation-induced erosion does not

exceed the Soil Loss Tolerance “T”

• Soil Condition-Organic Matter

Depletion – Soil Conditioning

Index is positive

• Soil Condition-Compaction –

Mechanically compacted soils are

renovated sufficiently to restore

plant root growth and/or water

movement

• Excessive Suspended Sediment and

Turbidity in Surface Water – Movement of mineral and organic particles is managed such that surface

water uses are not adversely

affected

• Excessive Salinity in Surface Water –

Salts are stored, handled, disposed

of, applied, and managed such that

surface water uses are not adversely

affected

• Harmful Temperatures of Surface

Water – Use and management of

land and water are coordinated to

minimize impacts on surface water

temperatures

Water Quality (Ground water)

• Harmful Levels of Pesticides in

Groundwater – Pesticides are

applied, stored, handled, disposed

of, and managed so that groundwater uses are not adversely affected

• Excessive Nutrients and Organics

in Groundwater – Nutrients and

organics are stored, handled, disposed of, and applied such that

groundwater uses are not adversely

affected

• Excessive Salinity in Groundwater –

Salts are stored, handled, disposed

of, applied, and managed such that

groundwater uses are not adversely

affected

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 45
CONSERVATION PRACTICE SHEETS

The following practice sheets give general information about several conservation

practices mentioned in this workbook. 

46 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook
4. How to detect changes in intake

rate

5. How and when to adjust stream

size, application rate, and irrigation

time to compensate for changes in

the soil or topography that affect

intake rate

6. How to recognize erosion caused

by irrigation

7. How to evaluate the uniformity of

water application

Evaluating the efficiency of applying

irrigation water is expensive and time

consuming. Therefore, the physical irrigation system and the technician’s evaluation of the irrigator’s knowledge are

acceptable in determining whether

good irrigation water management is

being practiced.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING STANDARDS

AND SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL

NRCS FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE

CODE 449.

Practice Information

The purpose of this practice is to effectively use available irrigation water in

managing and controlling the moisture

environment of crops and other vegetation. The objectives are to promote a

desired response, minimize soil erosion,

minimize loss of plant nutrients, and

protect both the quantity and quality of

water resources.

This practice is applicable to all areas

that are suitable for irrigation and have

a water supply of suitable quality and

quantity. In addition, a suitable irrigation system must be available and the

irrigator needs to have the knowledge

and capability to manage irrigation

water. The following knowledge is

required to properly manage irrigation

water:

1. How to determine when to apply

water based on the rate of use by

the crops at various stages of

growth

2. How to measure or estimate the

amount of water required for each

irrigation

3. The time needed for the soil to

absorb the required amount of

water

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 47

IRRIGATION WATER

MANAGEMENT

Definition: Irrigation water management

includes determining and controlling the

rate, amount, and timing of irrigation

water in a planned and efficient manner.
4. Evaluating use of crop rotations

that enhance efficiency of nutrient

utilization and improve soil tilth

5. Consideration of waste storage

requirements and land area requirements for proper management of

plant nutrients

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING STANDARDS

AND SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL

NRCS FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE

CODE 590.

Practice Information

Nutrient management may be used on

any area of land where plant nutrients

are applied to enhance yields and maintain or improve the chemical and biological condition of the soil. The source

of plant nutrients may be from organic

wastes, commercial fertilizer, legumes,

or crop residue. The objective is to

apply the proper amount of nutrients at

the proper time to achieve the desired

yield and minimize entry of nutrients

into surface or groundwater supplies.

Planning nutrient management

includes the following considerations:

1. National, State, and local water

quality standards

2. Sources and forms of plant nutrients available to the farmer

3. Amounts and timing of nutrients

based on soil testing, planned yield,

and growing season of target plants

48 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Definition: Nutrient management

involves managing the amount, form,

placement, and timing of plant nutrients

to obtain optimum yields and minimize

the risk of surface and groundwater

pollution.
7. Control erosion to reduce runoff

and associated pollution

8. Use field borders and buffer strips

to reduce potential for pollution

from runoff

9. Become familiar with common

pests, including life cycles, and

learn alternative control techniques

10. Use chemicals safely

11. Always follow label instructions

12. Use extreme care in preparing tank

mixes and rinsing chemicals from

tanks

13. Assure farm workers are properly

trained in safety precautions

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING STANDARDS

AND SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL

NRCS FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE

CODE 595.

Practice Information

This practice establishes the minimum

acceptable elements of a pest management program. It includes appropriate

cultural, biological, and chemical controls and combinations thereof.

The purpose of the practice is to

establish a pest management program

that is consistent with crop production

goals and environmental concerns.

The following are major considerations regarding the pest management

practice:

1. Use integrated pest management

principles to assure the techniques

are environmentally sound

2. Use crop rotations to break up pest

cycles

3. Use hand weeding or spot treatment when appropriate

4. Use biological control and beneficial insects

5. Scout fields and apply chemicals at

the correct time and dose rate 

6. Consider the effects of repetitive

use of the same chemicals on pesticide resistance

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 49

PEST MANAGEMENT

Definition: Pest management involves

managing weeds, insects, and diseases

to reduce adverse effects on plant

growth, crop production, and natural

resources.
This is a highly specialized practice

that requires intensive training and sufficient support personnel and equipment. A safe, successful burn must be

timed for proper humidity, wind conditions, air temperature, and fuel conditions (ignitable vegetation).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING DESIGN CRITERIA AND SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE

LOCAL NRCS FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE

PRACTICE CODE 338.

Practice Information

This practice applies to all land uses for

the following purposes:

• Controlling undesirable vegetation

• Preparing sites for planting or seeding

• Controlling plant diseases

• Reducing wildfire hazards

• Improving wildlife habitat

• Improving forage quantity and

quality

• Removing slash and debris following forest management activities

• Enhancing seed and seedling production

• Facilitating distribution of grazing

and browsing animals

Safety precautions are carefully

planned before the burn and monitored

during the burn. Existing barriers, such

as streams, lakes, roads, wetlands, and

constructed firebreaks, are important

considerations in planning the practice.

50 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

PRESCRIBED BURNING

Definition: Prescribed burning is

applying controlled fire to a

predetermined area of land.
A prescribed grazing schedule will be

prepared for all fields and pastures and

recorded in a manner that is readily

understood and useable by the decision

maker. The grazing schedule should

include the following information:

1. Expected forage quality and quantity for all lands providing forage

2. Numbers and kinds of animals

using available forage on the unit

3. Inventory of all sources of forage

and supplemental feed, including

documentation of surpluses and

deficiencies

4. A planned grazing schedule for

livestock showing periods of grazing, rest, and other activities for all

fields and pastures included in the

grazing plan

5. A contingency plan that details

potential climatic problems and a

guide for adjusting to ensure

proper management of forage

resources

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING PRACTICE

SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL NRCS

FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE CODE

Practice Information

This practice may be applied on all

lands where grazing or browsing animals are managed. Removal of herbage

by the grazing animals is in accordance

with production limitations, plant sensitivities, and management goals. Frequency of defoliations and season of

grazing are based on the rate of growth

and physiological condition of the

plants. Duration and intensity of grazing are based on desired plant health

and expected productivity of the forage

species to meet management objectives.

In all cases, enough vegetation is left to

prevent accelerated soil erosion.

Application of this practice will

manipulate the intensity, frequency,

duration, and season of grazing to:

1. Improve water infiltration

2. Maintain or improve riparian and

upland area vegetation

3. Protect streambanks from erosion

4. Manage for deposition of fecal

material away from water bodies

5. Promote ecological and economically stable plant communities

which meet landowner objectives 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 51

PRESCRIBED GRAZING

Definition: Prescribed grazing is the

controlled harvest of vegetation with

grazing animals, managed with the

intent to achieve a specific objective.
Dominant vegetation consists of

existing or planted trees and shrubs

suited to the site and purposes of the

practice. Grasses and forbs that come 

in naturally further enhance the 

wildlife habitat and filtering effect of

the practice.

Headcuts and streambank erosion

should be assessed and treated appropriately before establishing the riparian

forest buffer. 

Specifications for each installation

are based on a thorough field investigation of each site. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING PRACTICE

SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL NRCS

FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE CODE

391; FOR HERBACEOUS BUFFERS, SEE PRACTICE 

CODE 390.

Practice Information

This practice applies to areas adjacent

to permanent or intermittent streams,

lakes, ponds, wetlands, and areas associated with ground water recharge. 

The riparian forest buffer is a multipurpose practice designed to accomplish one or more of the following:

1. Create shade to lower water temperatures and improve habitat for

aquatic animals

2. Provide a source of debris necessary

for healthy, robust populations of

aquatic organisms and wildlife

3. Act as a buffer to filter out sediment, organic material, fertilizer,

pesticides, and other pollutants

that may adversely impact the

water body, including shallow

ground water

52 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

RIPARIAN FOREST BUFFER

Definition: A riparian forest buffer is an

area of trees and/or shrubs adjacent to a

body of water. The vegetation extends

outward from the water body for a

specified distance necessary to provide a

minimum level of protection and/or

enhancement.
The barriers constructed for use

exclusion must be adequate to prevent

intrusion of the target animals, vehicles,

or people. The barriers usually are

fences, but also may be natural and artificial structures, such as logs, boulders,

earth fill, gates, signs, etc.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING DESIGN CRITERIA AND SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE

LOCAL NRCS FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE

PRACTICE CODE 472.

Practice Information

The purpose of use exclusion is to protect, maintain, or improve the quantity

and quality of the natural resources in

an area. The purpose includes aesthetic

resources, as well as human health and

safety. 

The practice is used in a conservation plan in areas where vegetation

establishment or maintenance is a concern. Protecting the vegetation is often

essential to conserving the other natural

resources. 

Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 53

USE EXCLUSION

Definition: Use exclusion means

excluding animals, people, or vehicles

from an area.
Practice Information

This practice may be used on any land

suitable for application of waste as a fertilizer. This includes waste from barnyards, feedlots, dairy operations, and

other agricultural sources. The waste

material also may come from municipal

treatment plants and food processing

plants.

The purposes of applying this practice include the following:

1. Provide safe disposal of waste material

2. Provide fertility for food and fiber

production

3. Improve soil tilth and fertility

4. Reduce erosion

5. Protect water and other natural

resources

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING SPECIFICATIONS, IS AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL NRCS FIELD OFFICE

TECHNICAL GUIDE; SEE PRACTICE CODE 633.

54 Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook

WASTE UTILIZATION

Definition: Waste utilization includes

applying agricultural waste or other

waste on the land in an environmentally

acceptable manner while maintaining or

improving the natural resources.
Conservation Security Program: Self-Assessment Workbook 55

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits

discrimination in all its programs and activities on the

basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,

disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and 

marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply

to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require

alternative means for communication of program 

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600

(voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA,

Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten

Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964

(voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider

and employer.

We are very interested in your comments about the self-assessment process

and this workbook. Please send your suggestions to farmbillrules@usda.gov

Thank you!