Using SMART NITROGEN Can Yield Financial Benefits Through New National Farm Program
Conservation Stewardship Program now accepting applications for controlled release fertilizer incentive

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has opened the first enrollment period of the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The deadline for the first round of applicaitons is September 30, 2009.

One of the environmental issues addressed through CSP is water quality, including fertilizer used on crop and pasture lands. To improve water quality, CSP offers an enhancement – or payment program – for farmers who use controlled release or slow-release nitrogen. ESN®, a controlled release nitrogen fertilizer manufactured by Agrium Advanced Technologies, has been proven to limit nitrogen run-off by coating urea, a traditional nitrogen fertilizer, with a material that breaks down over time. The plant receives the nutrients it needs at the right time and rate that it needs and water quality is better maintained while providing other benefits such as increased yeild

To find out more on the Fertilizer Incentive, click HERE.

To find out more about Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers, click HERE.

To find out more about ESN SMART NITROGEN, click HERE.

CSP was created by the 2008 Farm Bill and replaces the old Conservation Security Program familiar to many farmers and landowners. The sign-up for the controlled release fertilizer enhancement and the rest of CSP is now underway. While CSP is offering a continuous enrollment, the deadline for the first round of applications is September 30, 2009.

NRCS will determine the payment rate at the end of the initial sign-up. It is expected to be between $12 and $22 per acre of cropland. Producers can begin the process by completing a check-list available on the NRCS Web site.

To complete the checklist, click HERE.

To go to the CSP homepage, click HERE.

CSP is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations. Congress capped the annual acreage enrollment at 12,769,000 acres for each fiscal year nationwide.