Conservation Security Program (CSP) - Basic Eligibility & Application Information

The 3-Step CSP Application Process

Step 1:
Review the following questions. Successful applicants will be able to affirmatively answer most or all of them.

Eligible applicants will generally be able to answer "Yes" to all or most of these questions:

• Do you want to enroll cropland, orchards, vines or rangeland?
• Was your adjusted gross income equal to or less than $2.5 million for the past three years, or if more than $2.5 million did more than 75% of that income come from farming, ranching, or forestry?
• Do you own or have control of the offered land for the proposed 5-10 years of the CSP contract?
• Do you share in the risk of producing the crop or livestock from this land?
• Do you maintain two years of records for this land showing management such as:
• Pesticide use?
• Irrigation?
• Grazing plans?
• Fertilizer/nutrient use?
• Soil enhancing tillage or cover crops?

Step 2:
Assemble the following eligibility and assessment information:

• Complete "The Basic Eligibility Checklist" (see below)
• Obtain and complete the CSP Self-Assessment Workbook
• Use the California Records Workbook to document your stewardship activities
• Complete application forms CCC-1200 and AD-1026 Appendix

Step 3:
Schedule an appointment for an interview, then take the above information with you to your local NRCS Field Office. "Incomplete" Workbooks may delay your interview.

The Basic Applicant Eligibility Checklist

1. Are your "Farm Records" up-to-date and current with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)? If not, contact your local FSA office to update or enter your records. If you are an entity applicant, check with FSA to see if you need to submit a new or revised CCC-501A form.
2. Are you the legal representative for the land, entity or individual who is applying? If not, you may need to submit a new notarized CA-NRCS-09 "Power of Attorney" form to NRCS showing your legal authority to apply and sign documents on behalf of the applicant.
3. Is your individual or entity average gross income less than $2.5 million for the three tax years immediately preceding the application year and less than 75% of the average AGI is derived from agricultural operations? You may need to submit a current or updated CCC-526 form with your local FSA office.
4. Is the land being offered by the applicant compliant with Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetlands Conservation (WC)? Contact your local FSA office to check your records or file form AD-1026 Appendix.
5. Have you submitted a current and valid "Direct Deposit" SF-1199A form with your local NRCS office?
6. Check with your local NRCS office to be sure you or the entity applicant contact information is correctly entered in the "SCIMS" database. SCIMS, or the Service Center Information Management System, is the official USDA customer database that all program participants must be entered in.

California CSP Documents & Forms

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CSP Self-Assessment Workbook (PDF; 2.14 MB)

California Conservation Records Workbook - Fillable Forms

        Information Required From All Applications (PDF; 7.4 MB)
        Inventory for Cropland and Hayland (PDF; 6 MB)
        Inventory for Range and Pasture Land (PDF; 5.3 MB)
        Information Required From Tier II Applications (PDF; 4.6 MB)
        Information Required from Tier III Applications (PDF; 7 MB)

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