"The Agricultural Department, under the supervision of its present energetic and faithful head, is rapidly 

commending itself to the great and vital interest it was created to advance. It is precisely the people's 

Department, in which they feel more directly concerned than in any other. " 

- Abraham Lincoln
Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

Technical assistance is about helping people. The CTA program 

provides technical assistance supported by science-based technology 

and tools to help people conserve, maintain and improve natural 

resources. The CTA program provides the technical capability (including 

direct conservation planning, design and implementation assistance) 

that helps people plan and apply conservation on the land. This 

assistance is provided to individuals, groups and communities that make 

natural resource management decisions affecting private and other nonfederal lands.

Conservation Security Program (CSP)

CSP supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural lands by 

providing financial assistance for maintaining and enhancing natural 

resources. CSP identifies and rewards landowners and farmers who 

are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental 

management.

Since CSP was first offered in 2004, the program has been offered in 

nine watersheds across Missouri. In 2009, there were 1,619 active 

contracts, earning payments totaling $27 million. Contracts are 5 to 10 

years in length.

The CSP is no longer authorized to accept new enrollments, but will 

continue to fund existing contract agreements. The Food, Conservation 

and Energy Act of 2008 introduced a new program, the Conservation 

Stewardship Program that is offered statewide and likely to appeal to 

those interested in the Conservation Security Program.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

CSP encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing 

conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations. 

The program provides financial and technical assistance to conserve 

and enhance soil, water, air and related natural resources on their land. 

CSP provides opportunities to both recognize excellent stewards and 

deliver valuable new conservation. It replaces the Conservation Security 

Program (also called CSP) which was available on a watershed basis.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis with periodic cut-off 

periods to evaluate all submitted applications. The first cut-off for this 

program was Sept. 30, 2009. Missouri NRCS is currently developing 

contracts on 66,000 acres of non-industrial private forest land 

applications and 369,000 acres of Ag land applications. All contracts are 

five years in length.

Cooperative Conservation 

Partnership Initiative (CCPI)

Four projects selected for participation in the Cooperative Conservation 

Partnership Initiative (CCPI) provided funding to landowners in seven 

Missouri counties helping them protect water quality and improve habitat 

that benefits bobwhite quail. 

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 

which administers CCPI, partenered with the Missouri Department of 

Conservation (MDC) to address priority natural resource concerns in 

Cass, Howell, Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Shannon 

counties. The formal agreement between NRCS and MDC will provide 

technical and financial assistance through two NRCS programs to 

eligible farmers and ranchers located within the four approved project 

areas.

CCPI is a new program established in the 2008 Farm Bill. Each year 

CCPI projects will receive a targeted portion of the funds that NRCS has 

available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the 

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.

2009 CCPI projects in Missouri:

• Cass County Missouri (funding: $75,000 NRCS, $25,000 Quail 

Unlimited) – The project will offer incentives to landowners in Cass 

County related to management practices including: woody cover control; 

edge feathering; and inclusion of warm-season grasses, legumes and 

forbs to improve quail habitat. MDC expects to assist 200 producers 

during the four-year project.

• Howell County Grassland Quail Bundle (funding: $25,000 NRCS, 

$5,000 MDC, $1,200 Quail Forever) – One objective is to introduce 

field borders of native grass mixes into cool-season-grass pastures to 

provide better habitat for grass and shrub-land wildlife. Other practices 

could include conservation cover, fencing, pest management, and early 

successional wildlife habitat. Although not the focus of the project, the 

native grass component of the field border could demonstrate plants 

used as bio fuels while providing wildlife habitat. MDC expects initial 

participation by up to 20 landowners during the three-year project.

• Southeast Missouri (funding: $45,000 NRCS, $5,000 MDC) – This 

project will cover those portions of Scott, Pemiscot, New Madrid and 

Mississippi counties which are part of the Conservation Security 

Program watersheds. The objective of the project is to work with 

landowners to increase shrubby cover in field borders that landowners 

previously established to enhance habitat for bobwhite quail. Up to 30 

landowners could receive assistance during this three-year project.

• Mahans Creek Watershed (funding: $90,000 NRCS, $10,000 MDC 

and/or Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation) – Mahans Creek 

is a 35,572-acre, Jacks Fork River watershed within Shannon County. 

The project will address streambank erosion, stream habitat loss due to 

sedimentation, lack of wooded riparian corridor and unrestricted cattle 

access to streams. The project will last three years. 
Conservation innovation grants (cig)

Three Missouri-based projects received partial funding from USDA 

through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Program. The projects 

are among 55 CIG projects selected nationwide that utilized $18.4 

million in CIG funds to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and 

approaches to help farmers conserve and sustain natural resources. 

Missouri’s three USDA CIG grants are worth $950,000. The recipients of 

the USDA grants, along with the grant amount, are listed below.

Missouri Department of Conservation ($192,700)

Best Management Practices for Water Quality on Private Timber Sales. 

The purpose is to implement a pilot cost share program for implementing 

best management practices in private land timber sales in a partnership 

of nine public agencies and non-government organizations, private 

landowners and loggers. 

Environmental Resources Coalition ($500,000)

Missouri Innovative Environmental Stewardship Project will demonstrate 

best management practices for nutrient reductions in water runoff and 

introduce carbon and nutrient trading to Missouri farmers. 

The Curators of the University of Missouri ($257,261)

Demonstrating alternative methods of biofuel production to enhance 

farm profitability while improving wildlife habitat and soil and water 

conservation. 

Missouri NRCS also awarded 10 state-component CIG grants totaling 

$565,000. Those projects included: managing winter fed hay to 

maximize fertilizer value and minimize water quality impact; developing 

a methodology and procedure for the use of LIDAR information to 

extract forest mensurational data for forest inventory and management 

planning; managing reforestation of idled alluvial tracts with black 

walnut and other fine hardwoods; nutrient management planning tool for 

farmers using the internet; using site-specific ecological land types and 

ecological site descriptions as land planning tool in the middle Meramec 

conservation opportunity area; Missouri farm energy audit data collector 

training program; new claypan soil productivity assessment tool for 

improved bioenergy production and conservation decisions; Missouri 

non-industrial private forest landowners' willingness to participate in a 

NRCS helped landowners improve wildlife habitat on 

70,900 acres throughout the state and reestablished or 

improved 7,500 acres of forestland in the state.

Missouri’s natural resources conservation team 

provided technical assistance to install 107 animal waste 

management systems through the implementation of 

comprehensive nutrient management plans.

biomass crop assistance program; Missouri innovative nutrient trading 

project (MINT); and “Computer Assisted Terrace Layout - evaluate, 

revise and implement a unique and innovative web-base computerassisted terrace layout system useful for NRCS personnel, land 

improvement contractors and landowners.

The CIG program targets grants to state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations and individuals. Selected applicants must 

provide non-Federal funding for at least 50 percent of the project cost. 

Thus, the total value of the 55 approved projects is more than $36.8 

million.

The Conservation Innovation Grant program was designed to speed 

the transfer and enhance use of technologies and methods that show 

promise in solving the nation’s top natural resource problems by 

targeting innovative, on-the-ground conservation. 
Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP)

The Emergency Watershed Protection program provides technical and 

financial assistance to reduce hazards to life and property from floods, 

ice storms, earthquakes, tornadoes or other watershed impairments 

caused by a natural event. All practices must be economically and 

environmentally defensible and conform to NRCS technical standards. 

Typical work in Missouri includes repair of floodplain levees, removal of 

sediment and debris from drainage ways, removal of logjams that cause 

significant problems and steambank protection near public facilities.

During Fiscal Year 2009, NRCS provided EWP assistance for recovery 

from multiple storms.

A March 2009 flood resulted in 172 Damage Survey Reports for $31.7 

million in financial assistance, with benefits exceeding $2.43 million 

to more than 570,000 people, 5,678 private properties and 939 public 

properties. Projects primarily removed sediment from drainage ditches in 

Southeast Missouri. 

In response to a June 2008 flood, recovery efforts resulted in 168 DSRs 

for $3.3 million in financial assistance, with benefits exceeding $23 

million to move more than 31,000 people, 240 private properties and 55 

public properties.

Watershed Program (PL-566)

The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act authorizes NRCS to 

provide assistance to local organizations in planning and implementing 

watershed projects.

Missouri received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 

funds for PL-566 watershed implementation in Fiscal Year 2009. The 

funds were used to award two contracts in two watersheds. The 

contracts are for constructing seven floodwater-retarding structures. 

The Caldwell County Commission has acquired 90 percent of the 

required 900 acres for construction of the 362-acre Little Otter Creek 

multipurpose reservoir. Construction is scheduled for 2010.

During Fiscal Year 2009, 34 dams with contracts awarded in previous 

years were constructed.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

WRP helps landowners restore wetlands on agricultural and non-agricultural lands. Restored wetlands provide wildlife habitat for migratory 

birds, threatened and endangered species and other wetland wildlife. 

To date, 852 applications have been funded statewide encompassing 

129,501 acres. NRCS enrolled 35 applications covering 2,847 acres 

during Fiscal Year 20009. Wetlands were restored on over 3,400 acres.

Plant Materials Program

The Elsberry Plant Materials Center (PMC) helps protect, conserve 

and improve natural resources by providing plant materials and plant 

related technology. It works directly with: land users, industry growers 

in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa; and federal, state and local partners. The 

staff researches plants to determine their possible uses in preventing 

soil erosion, providing wildlife food and cover and in protecting related 

natural resources.

Suitable plants are released from the PMC and made available through 

nurseries and commercial seed growers. In Fiscal Year 2009, the PMC 

released two source identified pale purple coneflowers named Northern 

and Western Missouri Germplasm. These are native prairie plants for 

conservation uses.

During the PMC’s 75 year history, there have been 89 plants released. 

The value of those plants sold in 2009 by private nurseries and 

commercial seed growers was approximately $4.7 million.

The PMC is also increasing its efforts at evaluating plants for bioenergy. 

A study of in-field weathering effects on biomass yield and biofuel quality 

of warm-season-grass species is being evaluated at the PMC. This 

study compares three native species and miscanthus. The PMC is also 

developing an Indiangrass selection for bioenergy.

NRCS provided assistance to Missouri landowners to 

improve air quality and conserve energy by assisting 

with the installation of nearly 73,000 feet of windbreaks, 

around farmsteads and animal feeding facilities. NRCS

also helped conserve energy by providing assistance 

to reduce cropland tillage on 108,600 acres and to add 

legumes to existing crop rotations on 257,900 acres.
Grazing lands conservation initiative 

(GLCI)

The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative is a nationwide collaborative 

process of individuals and organizations working to maintain and 

improve the management, productivity and health of the nation’s 

privately owned grazing land. This process has formed coalitions that 

represent the grass root concerns that impact private grazing land. 

The coalitions actively seek sources to increase technical assistance 

and public awareness activities that maintain or enhance grazing land 

resources.

In Fiscal Year 2009, NRCS in Missouri conducted 30 basic grazing 

schools with 810 in attendance. These schools are the cooperative 

effort of Missouri NRCS, University Extension, SWCD. Missouri 

Department of Conservation, MO DNR and MFGC/GLCI. In addition, 

the NRCS in Missouri held two advanced grazing schools, four regional 

forage conferences, 128 field days and six district Grassland Evaluation 

Contests.

Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)

GRP offers landowners an opportunity to restore and protect grassland 

and pastureland rather than converting it to cropland or other uses. In 

Fiscal Year 2009, $2.1 million in financial assistance was provided to 

Missouri landowners to enroll five permanent easements covering 1,084 

acres and 20 rented contracts covering 2,663 acres.

Environmental Quality Incentives 

Program (EQIP)

EQIP promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as 

compatible goals. It provides financial and technical assistance to install 

or implement structural and management conservation practices on 

agricultural land.

Missouri farmers received $17.8 million in EQIP financial assistance 

in Fiscal Year 2009. It funded 1,021 of the 4,400 Missouri EQIP 

applications. This financial assistance will help install conservation 

practices that will reduce soil erosion, use water more efficiently and 

improve grazing land, wildlife habitat and water quality.

Resource Inventories: Soil Survey, NRI, 

and Cultural Resources 

The Missouri Cooperative Soil Survey Program provided customers with 

updated soils information for about 1.3 million acres (about 3 percent 

of Missouri’s land area) during FY 2009. We continue to be a national 

leader in updating and delivering soil survey information in an electronic 

format. The information is available to all via the National Web Soil 

Survey website: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ and on the 

Soil Data Mart, http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov. The Web Soil Survey 

provides users with tools to build a customized soil map and reports. 

Geographic Information System (GIS) users can obtain the latest 

datasets at the Soil Data Mart.

This year, NRCS staffs conducted one statewide natural resources 

inventory on 1,800 land segments as part of the annual National 

Resources Inventory (NRI) program. The NRI is a statistical survey 

of natural resource conditions and trends on U.S. non-Federal land, 

conducting multiple inventories on an annual basis. Information about 

Missouri’s land use and erosion can be found on our website at http://

www.mo.nrcs.gov/technical/nri/nriindex.html. 

Missouri NRCS provided two Cultural Resources training sessions. 

Fifty (50) people participated in both classroom and field exercises. Our 

goal is to ensure structural conservation practices do not harm cultural 

or historic sites. Work associated with the Emergency Watershed 

Protection (levee repairs and cleaning ditches) resulted in several onsite examinations.

Wildlife habitat incentives program 

(WHIP)

WHIP is designed to maintain ecosystem diversity by improving habitats 

of reduced or declining wildlife populations within agricultural systems. 

Missouri obligated more than $1.2 million with 117 contracts during 

Fiscal Year 2009.

NRCS provided assistance to establish irrigation 

management systems on 20,800 acres in Missouri, 

helped establish prescribed grazing systems on 96,700 

acres in the state’s grassland areas, assisted with pest 

management on 98,900 acres and nutrient management 

on 109,400 acres. 

NRCS assisted producers to replace low efficiency 

irrigation pump motors with more efficient and cleaner 

motors.
J.R. Flores

Missouri NRCS State Conservationist

“They call this the Show-Me State, but in the time I have been here, I am the one 

whose eyes have been opened to how beautiful and diverse this state is.”

601 Business Loop 70 West, Suite 250 :: Columbia, MO 65203 :: (573) 876-0901

Visit us online at www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov

An equal opportunity employer and provider.

Resource conservation and development 

(RC&D)

The premise of the RC&D program is that local people know 

what is best for their communities. Because of this, local 

people create and organize their own RC&D areas, define 

their own goals and work with a broad range of public and 

private entities to achieve their objectives.

Missouri’s eight, multi-county RC&D areas completed 58 

projects during the Fiscal Year 2009 and they have 111 active 

projects. RC&D activities improved water quality, provided 

information and education assistance, resolved waste 

utilization issues and supported rural tourism. They also 

benefited fish and wildlife, economic development, forestry, 

cultural resources and local natural resources.