IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• 2023 LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM or LFP – Kiowa County eligible – deadline to apply January 30, 2024. 
• NRCS – CSP deadline August 18, 2023
• CRP Non-Emergency Haying and Grazing Available (excluding CRP Grassland contracts)

Disclaimer:  Information in this UPDATE is pertinent to Kiowa County FSA only. Producers reading this and that do not have FSA interest in Kiowa County are advised to contact their local FSA Office. 

THE USDA SERVICE CENTER HAS A DROP BOX AVAILABLE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Colorado is an Employer of Choice and Currently Hiring Rangeland Management Specialists

NRCS Rangeland Management Specialist Applications Accepted until August 7, 2023.

Careers with the U.S. government provide employees with competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages, flexible work schedules and environments. A career with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers employees the opportunity to work with others who are helping people, help the land. 

The NRCS in Colorado is currently accepting applications for Rangeland Management Specialists. In this position you will serves as rangeland consultant and advisor to numerous ranchers and farmers, provide evaluations of their resources, identify problems, and propose short and/or long-term land Improvement alternatives, and more.

Locations will be Negotiable: Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Greeley, Holyoke, Hugo, Meeker, Steamboat Springs, Sterling, and Wray.  Applicants interested in locations not specifically listed on the announcement are encouraged to communicate/negotiate location availability during the interview stage. To apply or for more information, please visit: USA JOBS, announcement: NRCS-23-12064641-DE-WR-SC or contact a Service Center for the link to be emailed to you. 

NRCS in Colorado Announces NEW CSP Funding Opportunity 

Applications Due August 18, 2023

Clint Evans, State Conservationist for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Colorado today announced the availability of additional Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funding for Colorado landowners to implement activities that improve existing conservation efforts through new technologies and management techniques.

CSP can help producers increase their resiliency to extreme weather events, improve wildlife habitat, increase forage base, decrease inputs, improve forest health, and increase crop productivity. Funding is available to both large- and small-scale producers, and there are variety of conservation practices and enhancements from which to choose. The NRCS even offers enhancement/practices in bundles.

CSP utilizes a five-year contact and offers eligible land a baseline payment in addition to the incentive payment. All new activities must be completed on land that the eligible producer has operated for at least five years. Interested participants are encouraged to contact their local NRCS office to learn more about CSP. Applications are due to local NRCS offices by August 18, 2023.

CRP General and Continuous Required Contract Management

All General and Continuous CRP contracts must have a contract management performed prior to year 6 of the contract on 100% of the contract acreage, unless noted otherwise.   With the abundance of moisture received this past spring, FSA is encouraging producers to complete the require management practice before primary nesting season begins in March 2024. 

Before implementing the contract management activity, producers are required to consult with the NRCS office to determine the best management activity for the contract. 

NOTE:  FSA cost share assistance is not authorized for contract management activity. Grazing and haying is notapproved as a management activity and is only available as non-emergency, with a 25% payment reduction.  

FSA approved contract management practices at this time are the following.  

Residue Management – 

• Shallow/Light/Strip Tillage – 
  Harrowing/shallow disking/straight-point chisel  - 100% of a field  may be harrowed in a single FY.  Example: shallow disking, chiseling with straight points, or spring-tooth or spike-tooth harrowing.  Spike-tooth harrows are only permitted for grasses less than 8” tall.
• Strip tillage – No less than 50% of a field may be done in a single FY. If more than 50% is strip tilled throughout all the acres, the management activity is considered complete with all the acres having an activity completed on it.
• Block tillage – No more than 60% of a field may be done during a single FY. The remaining acreage of the field will be done in a subsequent year or by using another type of activity.

Inter-seeding – 100% of acres in a single FY.

Shredding/Flail Chopping (Block) no more than 60% of a field may be shredded or chopped in a single FY.

Strip Mowing – Shall NOT be included in the original conservation plan as the planned management activity. Only approved on a case-by-case basis by FSA County Committee.  Stubble height of 6” should remain and not applicable unless average beginning height exceeds 8”. Will be completed on 50% of the acreage in one fiscal year, which will constitute 100% of the acres being managed.