FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

Mitigation 

Categories [5] Code

Conservation Practice 

Standard Name[2] [3]

(practice unit)

Code Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Enhancement Activities

Soil Health 327 Conservation Cover (acres) E327A Conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects[2]

E327B Establish Monarch butterfly habitat

328 Conservation Crop Rotation 

(acres)

E328A Resource conserving crop rotation

E328B Improved resource conserving crop rotation

E328E Soil health crop rotation

E328F Modifications to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter

E328N Intercropping to improve soil health

E328O Perennial grain crop conservation rotation

329 Residue and Tillage 

Management, No Till (acres)

E329A No till to reduce soil erosion

E329B No till to reduce tillage induced particulate matter

E329C No till to increase plant-available moisture

E329D No till system to increase soil health and soil organic matter content

E329E No till to reduce energy

332 Contour Buffer Strips (acres) None Available

336 Soil Carbon Amendment 

(acres)* None Available

340 Cover Crop (acres) E340A Cover crop to reduce soil erosion

E340B Intensive cover cropping to increase soil health and soil organic matter content

E340C Use of multi-species cover crops to improve soil health and increase soil 

organic matter

E340D Intensive orchard/vineyard floor cover cropping to increase soil health

E340F Cover crop to minimize soil compaction

E340G Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil 

nutrients

E340H Cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles

E340I Using cover crops for biological strip till

E340J Cover crop to improve moisture use efficiency and reduce salts

345 Residue and Tillage 

Management, Reduced Till 

(acres)

E345A Reduced tillage to reduce soil erosion

E345B Reduced tillage to reduce tillage induced particulate matter

E345C Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture

E345D Reduced tillage to increase soil health and soil organic matter content

E345E Reduced tillage to reduce energy use

Climate-Smart Agriculture 

and Forestry (CSAF) Mitigation 

Activities List for FY2024

Highlighted activities have been added to the list in FY2024.

*Noted activities are added to the list as "provisional."[1]
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 2

Highlighted activities have been added to the list in FY2024.

*Noted activities are added to the list as "provisional."[1]

Mitigation 

Categories [5] Code

Conservation Practice 

Standard Name[2] [3]

(practice unit)

Code Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Enhancement Activities

Soil Health 386 Field Border (acres) E386A Enhanced field borders to reduce soil erosion along the edge(s) of a field

E386B Enhanced field borders to increase carbon storage along the edge(s) 

of the field

E386C Enhanced field borders to decrease particulate emissions along the edge(s) 

of the field

E386D Enhanced field borders to increase food for pollinators along the edge(s) of 

a field

E386E Enhanced field borders to increase wildlife food and habitat along the 

edge(s) of a field

393 Filter Strips (acres) E393A Extend existing filter strip to reduce water quality impacts

412 Grassed Waterways (acres) E412A Enhance a grassed waterway

484 Mulching (acres) E484A Mulching to improve soil health

E484B Reduce particulate matter emissions by using orchard or vineyard 

generated woody materials as mulch

E484C Mulching with natural materials in specialty crops for weed control

E484D Lowbush Blueberry Mulching for Moisture Management

585 Stripcropping (acres) None Available

601 Vegetative Barriers (feet) None Available

603 Herbaceous Wind Barriers (feet) None Available

Nitrogen 

Management

590 Nutrient Management (acres) E590A Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses

E590B Reduce risks of nutrient loss to surface water by utilizing precision 

agriculture technologies

E590C Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses on 

pasture

E590D Reduce risks of nutrient losses to surface and groundwater by increasing 

setback awareness via precision technology

Livestock 

Partnership

317 Composting Facility (number)* None Available

313 Waste Storage Facility 

(number)* 

• Used to implement 

compost bedded-pack[4]

None Available

366 Anaerobic Digester (number) None Available

367 Roofs and Covers (number)*

• Used to cover a waste 

management facility to 

capture biogas[4]

None Available

592 Feed Management 

(animal unit)*

• Used to reduce enteric 

methane emissions [4]

None Available

632 Waste Separation Facility 

(number)* None Available
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 3

Highlighted activities have been added to the list in FY2024.

*Noted activities are added to the list as "provisional."[1]

Mitigation 

Categories [5] Code

Conservation Practice 

Standard Name[2] [3]

(practice unit)

Code Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Enhancement Activities

Grazing and 

Pasture

314 Brush Management (acres)*

• Used to remove woody 

invasive vegetation and 

the removed material will 

be left onsite. [4]

E314A Brush management to improve wildlife habitat*

315 Herbaceous Weed Treatment 

(acres)*

• Used to release desired 

deep rooted perennial 

species. [4]

E315A Herbaceous weed treatment to create desired plant communities 

consistent with the ecological site*

338 Prescribed Burning (acres)* E338A Strategically planned, patch burning for grazing distribution and wildlife 

habitat*

512 Pasture and Hay Planting 

(acres)

E512A Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce soil erosion

E512B Forage and biomass planting to reduce soil erosion or increase organic 

matter to build soil health

E512C Cropland conversion to grass for soil organic matter improvement

E512D Forage plantings that help increase organic matter in depleted soils

E512I Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect and/or monarch habitat

E512J Establish wildlife corridors to provide habitat continuity or access to water

E512L Diversifying forage base with interseeding forbs and legumes to increase 

pasture quality

E512M Forage plantings that improve wildlife habitat cover and shelter or 

structure and composition

528 Prescribed Grazing (acres) E528A Maintaining quantity and quality of forage for animal health 

and productivity

E528F Stockpiling cool season forage to improve structure and composition or 

plant productivity and health

E528G Improved grazing management on pasture for plant productivity and health 

with monitoring activities

E528H Prescribed grazing to improve/maintain riparian and watershed functionelevated water temperature

E528I Grazing management that protects sensitive areas -surface or ground water 

from nutrients

E528J Prescribed grazing on pastureland that improves riparian and watershed 

function

E528L Prescribed grazing that improves or maintains riparian and watershed 

function-erosion

E528M Grazing management that protects sensitive areas from gully erosion

E528N Improved grazing management through monitoring activities

E528O Clipping mature forages to set back vegetative growth for improved forage 

quality
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 4

Highlighted activities have been added to the list in FY2024.

*Noted activities are added to the list as "provisional."[1]

Mitigation 

Categories [5] Code

Conservation Practice 

Standard Name[2] [3]

(practice unit)

Code Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Enhancement Activities

Grazing and 

Pasture

528 Prescribed Grazing (acres) E528P Implementing Bale or Swath Grazing to increase organic matter and reduce 

nutrients in surface water

E528R Management intensive rotational grazing

E528S Soil Health Improvements on Pasture

E528T Grazing to Reduce Wildfire Risks on Forests

E528U Contingency Planning for Resiliency

550 Range Planting (acres) E550A Range planting for increasing/maintaining organic matter

E550B Range planting for improving forage, browse, or cover for wildlife

Agroforestry, 

Forestry and 

Wildlife 

Habitat 

311 Alley Cropping (acres) None Available

342 Critical Area Planting (acres) None Available

379 Forest Farming (acres) None Available

380 Windbreaks/Shelterbelt 

Establishment and 

Renovation (feet)

None Available

381 Silvopasture (acres) E381A Silvopasture to improve wildlife habitat

383 Fuel Break (acres)* E383A Grazing-maintained fuel break to reduce the risk of fire*

384 Woody Residue Treatment 

(acres)*

E384A Biochar production from woody residue*

390 Riparian Herbaceous Cover 

(acres)

E390A Increase riparian herbaceous cover width for sediment and nutrient 

reduction

E390B Increase riparian herbaceous cover width to enhance wildlife habitat

391 Riparian Forest Buffer (acres) E391A Increase riparian forest buffer width for sediment and nutrient reduction

E391B Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction

E391C Increase riparian forest buffer width to enhance wildlife habitat

420 Wildlife Habitat Planting 

(acres)*

E420A Establish pollinator habitat*

E420B Establish monarch butterfly habitat*

422 Hedgerow Planting (feet) None Available

612 Tree-Shrub Establishment 

(acres)

E612B Planting for high carbon sequestration rate

E612C Establishing tree/shrub species to restore native plant communities

E612G Tree/shrub planting for wildlife food

643 Restoration of Rare 

or Declining Natural 

Communities (ac)*

• Used to restore 

floodplain hydrology [4]

E643D Low-tech process-based restoration to enhance floodplain connectivity*

666

Forest Stand Improvement 

(acres)*

E666A Maintaining and improving forest soil quality*

E666D Forest management to enhance understory vegetation*

E666E Reduce height of the forest understory to limit wildfire risk*

E666F Reduce forest stand density to create open stand structure*
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 5

Highlighted activities have been added to the list in FY2024.

*Noted activities are added to the list as "provisional."[1]

Mitigation 

Categories [5] Code

Conservation Practice 

Standard Name[2] [3]

(practice unit)

Code Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Enhancement Activities

Agroforestry, 

Forestry and 

Wildlife 

Habitat 

666 Forest Stand Improvement 

(acres)*

E666H Increase on-site carbon storage*

E666I Crop tree management for mast production*

E666J Facilitating oak forest regeneration*

E666K Creating structural diversity with patch openings*

E666L Forest Stand Improvement to rehabilitate degraded hardwood stands*

E666P Summer roosting habitat for native forest-dwelling bat species*

E666R Forest songbird habitat maintenance*

E666S Facilitating longleaf pine regeneration and establishment*

Restoration 

of Disturbed 

Lands

453 Land Reclamation, Landslide 

Treatment (acres) None Available

543 Land Reclamation, 

Abandoned Mined Land 

(acres)

None Available

Energy, 

Combustion, 

& Electricity 

Efficiency

372 Combustion System 

Improvement (number) 

• Used for stationary 

or mobile engine 

replacement or repower 

to electric motor 

E372A Switch to Renewable Power Source

E372B Renewable Energy Source for Large Internal Combustion Engines

374 Energy Efficient Agricultural 

Operation (number)*

None Available

430 Irrigation Pipeline (feet)*

• Used to reduce energy 

use [4]

None Available

441 Irrigation System, 

Microirrigation (acres)* 

• Used to reduce energy 

use [4]

None Available

442 Sprinkler System (acres)*

• Used to reduce energy 

use [4]

None Available

533 Pumping Plant (number)*

• Used to reduce energy 

use [4]

E533C Install VFDs on pumps*

E533D Switch fuel source for pumps*

672 Energy Efficient Building 

Envelope (number)* None Available

670 Energy Efficient Lighting 

System (number)* None Available

Wetlands 657 Wetland Restoration (acres)* None Available

Rice 449 Irrigation Water Management 

(acres)*

• Used as part of an 

alternated wetting and 

drying (AWD) system in 

rice fields

E449B Alternated Wetting and Drying (AWD) of rice fields*
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 6

Notes

In addition to the designated CSAF conservation activities listed, conservation practices that facilitate the management 

or the function of a CSAF activity but may not achieve the desired effects on their own (and may not have a quantifiable 

benefit), may be planned as applicable in consultation with your local professional conservation planner. Examples: TreeShrub Establishment (612) may need facilitating practices such as Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) or Access Control (472). 

Conservation Crop Rotation (328) may need facilitating practices such as Pest Management Conservation System (595), 

Cover Crops (340), or Irrigation Water Management (449). Waste Separation Facility (632) may need facilitating practices 

such as Waste Transfer (634) or Roofs and Covers (367). Prescribed Grazing (528) may need facilitating practices such as 

Watering Facility (614), Stream Crossing (578), Brush Management (314), Fence (382), or Livestock Shelter Structure (576). 

[1] Provisional activities and their associated enhancements are added under the premise that they may provide benefits, 

and a quantification methodology will be evaluated during the fiscal year. Practices may be removed from the mitigation 

practice list in a subsequent fiscal year if quantification is not possible. Unless otherwise noted, listed practices have 

quantifiable carbon sequestration and/or GHG reduction methodologies described in COMET-Planner (comet-planner.com). 

New practices will be added as science progresses and scientifically defensible quantification methodologies are identified 

to accompany existing and new NRCS conservation practice standards.

[2] The included Conservation Practice Standard and Conservation Stewardship Program links provide national 

information. Please consult the NRCS office at your local USDA Service Center for any local and state level criteria. 

Visit farmers.gov/service-locator to find contact information for your local office.

[3] The following were removed from the list for FY2024: Conservation Practice Standard Upland Wildlife Habitat and 

Management (Code 645) and Enhancements (E645B) Manage existing shrub thickets to provide adequate shelter for wildlife, 

(E645C) Edge feathering for wildlife cover, (E328G) Crop rotation on recently converted CRP grass/legume cover for soil 

organic matter improvement, (E528D) Grazing management for improving quantity and quality of food or cover and shelter 

for wildlife, and (E528E) Improved grazing management for enhanced plant structure and composition for wildlife. Two 

enhancements were archived and are no longer available within CSP: (E512E) Forage and biomass planting that produces 

feedstock for biofuels or energy production and (E512K) Establishing native species into forage base to improve diversity 

for both livestock and wildlife. Bundles for CSP are no longer listed in this document, refer to program guidance for CSP 

information on the use of appropriate bundles.

[4] The practice is considered a mitigation activity only when implemented in the specified way. A brief description of the 

specific implementation is identified and associated narratives for conservation planning purposes are included at the end of 

the document. When a specific implementation is not specified, any narrative of the practice may be used for planning under 

the assumption that it will provide mitigation benefits. 

[5] Mitigation categories are for organizational purposes only and do not indicate land use restrictions for the practice.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023

CSAF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES LIST FOR FY2024 7

NRCS Narrative Crosswalk for Conservation Planners

Code Conservation Practice Standard Code Narrative

313 Waste Storage Structure 01N Compost Bedded Pack waste storage facility - a livestock agricultural waste storage 

fabricated structure where manure is composted within the animal housing

314 Brush Management 03N Remove woody (non-herbaceous and succulent) invasive vegetation to maintain 

or enhance deep rooted native perennial grass and forb communities, leaving 

treated woody material onsite to mitigate above ground carbon loss

315 Herbaceous Weed Treatment 01N Remove or treat herbaceous weeds to release desired deep rooted perennial 

grass and forb species

367 Roofs and Covers 01N Capture Biogas - Place a rigid, semirigid, or flexible manufactured membrane, 

composite material, or roof structure placed over a waste management facility to 

capture biogas and reduce odor

372 Combustion System 

Improvement

02N Stationary engine to electric motor replacement or repower - Replace or repower 

an existing stationary engine with an electric motor

372 Combustion System 

Improvement

05N Mobile internal combustion engine to electric motor replacement - Replace an 

existing on-farm mobile device (i.e., tractor, loader, forklift, etc.) powered by an 

internal combustion engine with a new mobile device powered by an electric motor

430 Irrigation Pipeline 01N Replacement of an earthen channel that is supplied by pumping water with a closed 

conduit, resulting in enhanced conveyance efficiency and reduced energy use

441 Irrigation System, 

Microirrigation 

02N Switching from higher to lower pressure irrigation systems without increasing 

irrigated acres, resulting in enhanced application efficiency and reduced energy use

442 Sprinkler System 02N Utilization of variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology, switching from higher 

to lower pressure irrigation systems, and sprinkler head renozzling without 

increasing irrigated acres, resulting in enhanced application efficiency and 

reduced energy use

449 Irrigation Water Management 03N Managing water levels in rice fields to include dry down between full flood conditions 

prior to re-flooding (alternated wetting and drying) to minimize greenhouse gas 

production in accordance with an irrigation water management plan

533 Pumping Plant 02N Replacing existing pump with high-efficiency pump resulting in reduced

energy use

592 Feed Management 03N Reduce enteric methane emissions from animal feeding operations by manipulating 

the quantity and quality of dietary nutrients, incorporating feed additives and feed 

ingredients, or adjusting concentrate to forage ratio in livestock and poultry diets 

to lower methane produced and emitted during digestion

643 Restoration of Rare or 

Declining Natural Communities

01N Restoration of streams and associated floodplains using low-tech structures (such 

as beaver dam analogs or other stick-and-stone structures) to kick-start natural 

ecological and hydrologic processes required for maintenance of healthy and 

functioning streams and associated floodplains