Conservation Stewardship Program

Updated 2/27/12

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Through CSP, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest lands, agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and other private agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed. Participation in the program is voluntary.

2012 Conservation Stewardship Program Application Materials

CSP - Iowa Producer Application Packet (PDF, 1.9 MB) - This 109-page document includes the:

• CSP Iowa Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Producer Self-Screening Checklist (PDF)
• CSP Application Checklist (PDF)
• Conservation Measurement Tool Cover Page (CMT) - The following questions may vary slightly from the actual questions asked during the CSP interview process.
  • Ag Land - General (PDF)
  • Ag Land - Water Bodies/Water Courses (PDF)
  • Cropland (PDF)
  • Pastureland (PDF)
• 2012 Iowa Most Common Activity Job Sheets with Iowa Addendums
• CSP 2012 Ranking Period One Enhancement Activity Job Sheets | 2012 Iowa Addendums
• National CSP Activity List (PDF)
• CSP Application Form - NRCS-CPA-1200 (PDF)
• Direct Deposit Form (1199A) (PDF)
• Control of Land Requirements (PDF)
• Control of Land Form (PDF)

Other Resources

• National CSP Web Page
• CSP 2011 Ranking Period One Enhancement Activity Job Sheets
• Iowa Most Common Activities List - 2011 (PDF)
• CSP Fact Sheet (PDF, 45 KB)
• Resource Conserving Crop Rotation (RCCR) - 2010 (PDF)
• Iowa MRBI Information
• Fiscal Year 2010 CSP Iowa Results
• Fiscal Year 2010 Contracts and Dollars Obligated on Active Contracts (State Totals)
• Conservation Stewardship Program's Contribution to Organic Transitioning - The Organic Crosswalk (PDF, 45 KB)

Iowa Resource Conserving Crop Rotations

Resource-conserving crop means a crop that is one of the following:

1. A perennial grass;
2. A legume grown for use as forage, seed for planting, or green manure;
3. A legume-grass mixture;
4. A small grain grown in combination with a grass or legume green manure crop whether inter-seeded or planted in rotation.

Iowa Examples of Resource-conserving crop rotations:

1. A perennial grass grown at least one year after the seeding year with at least one other crop in the rotation: 
   1. Yr 1 – Corn, Yr 2 – Bean, Yr 3 - Oat nurse crop with brome grass establishment, Yr 4 - Brome grass hay.
   2. Yr 1 – Soybeans, Yr 2 - Oat nurse crop with Orchard establishment, Yr 3 - Orchard hay.
2. A legume that is grown at least 1 year after the seeding year with at least one other crop in the rotation: 
   1. Yr 1 – Corn, Yr 2 – Bean, Yr 3 - Oat nurse crop with Alfalfa establishment, Yr 4 - Alfalfa hay.
   2. Yr 1 – Soybeans, Yr 2 - Oat nurse crop with red clover establishment, Yr 3 – Red clover hay.
3. A legume-grass mixture that is grown at least 1 year after the seeding year with at least one other crop in the rotation: 
   1. Yr 1 – Corn, Yr 2 – Bean, Yr 3 - Oat nurse crop with Alfalfa/brome grass establishment, Yr 4 – Alfalfa/Brome grass hay.
   2. Yr 1 – Bean, Yr 2 - Oat nurse crop with red clover/brome grass establishment, Yr 3 – Red Clover/Brome grass hay.
4. A small grain grown in combination with a grass or legume that is used as a green manure, whether interseeded or planted after small grain harvest with at least two other crops in the rotation. Neither the small grain residue nor the cover crop shall be harvested or grazed:
   1. Yr 1 – Corn, Yr 2 – Bean, Yr 3 - Oat nurse crop harvested for grain with red clover established and killed the following spring. Note: No straw or red clover is harvested or grazed.
   2. Yr 1 – Corn, Yr 2- Beans with Rye/sweet clover winter cover crop. The cover crop is killed in the spring.  Note: No straw or red clover is harvested or grazed.

2009 CSP Information

Program Contact

Tom O'Connor
Resource Conservationist
Phone: 515-323-2224   

For further information and assistance, contact your local NRCS Service Center

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