The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, 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.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the program. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

For specific information on Florida's 2006 CSP go to the Little Manatee River Watershed - 2006 website.

CSP Downloads(NRCS)

CSP Fact Sheet
CSP Questions and Answers
CSP Program Description
CSP General Brochure (9.48 MB)
CSP Watershed Brochure (10.9 MB) - Florida NRCS

CSP Self Assessment and Application Information (Florida NRCS)

Florida CSP 2006 Preliminary Questions
Florida Application Steps - 2006
2006 Self-Assessment Workbook, (complete workbook, all pages) (1MB)

CSP Rules, Notices and Supporting Documents (Florida NRCS)

Watershed Selection Key Points (May 2004)
Watershed Selection Questions and Answers (May 2004)
Watershed Approach Key Points (May 2004)
Watershed Approach Questions and Answers (May 2004)

2005 CSP Contracts Awarded (Florida NRCS)

Nationally, about 12,700 CSP contracts were awarded in 2005 with payments to exceed $1 billion over 10 years. The contracts cover 9 million acres of private land in 220 watersheds. In Florida, at least 38 CSP contracts will be awarded with over $520,000 in CSP payments going to Florida landowners/producers in 2005. Florida's watershed for 2005 was the Lower Suwannee which included portions of Lafayette, Madison, Columbia, Levy, Suwannee, Taylor, Gilchrist and Dixie counties.

2005 Fact Sheet
CSP Florida Watershed Map 2005 (589 KB)
Lower Suwannee River Watershed Map
Lower Suwannee Watershed Website - 2005