Streamlining processes and delivery to Better Serve Customers

Top 10 Highlights of the Conservation Stewardship Program manual update

Over the last year and half, NRCS employees have worked diligently to streamline workflows and improve customer service. In alignment with Chief Lohr’s priority to integrate conservation planning and program delivery into a seamless business process to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of field office operations, the NRCS of the Future (NOTF) effort has led to the creation of methods to streamline internal work processes.

In the coming weeks, as conservation program rules are released, the leaders of NOTF will showcase some of the streamlining efforts of these programs, more specifically highlighting the “Top Ten” for each program.

First, we’ll take a look at the recently released interim final rule for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Here’s a Top Ten look at the CSP interim final rule and policy manual update:

1. Expands who may be an eligible participant to include the operator, owner, or other tenant as identified in FSA records, which eliminates the need for operator of record waivers.

2. Removes the need for producers to request in writing an exemption for the farmstead.

3. Removes the protocol to request new enhancements from policy. There will still be a process, just not defined in policy. This will allow NRCS to more easily refine and improve the process over time without having to update policy.

4. Removes required NRCS payment deadlines in December and March which reduces States having to submit waivers.¬

5. Removes the requirement to implement an enhancement by the third year of the contract. This allows more flexibility for our customers and reduces the number of waivers.

6. Removes the annual payment limitation which will eliminate the need for APL waivers when payments are delayed.

7. Expands the higher contract limit to include all business type 2 and 3 participants and not just those with an EIN.

8. Removes the CSP preapproval letter, simplifies the CSP pre-obligation checklist and incorporates the CSP-GCI pre-obligation checklist into policy. Incorporates an EQIP pre-obligation checklist and significantly streamlines the checklist to only include critical items of risk that are not automated.

9. Removes the need for a State bulletin for duplicative payments; however, States must still identify conservation activities that may be duplicative with other programs.

10. Removes the requirement for the annual 10% contract reviews.

In summary, NRCS has streamlined CSP by basing contracts on funds instead of acres, bringing it in line with EQIP. Additionally, NRCS is aligning CSP with EQIP through common applications, contracting operations, conservation planning, conservation practices and related administrative procedures.

As Chief Lohr stated, “These changes will result in greater efficiency in program delivery and reduced burden on producers.”

Stay tuned as we will feature additional highlights on streamlining efforts that improve our program delivery by simplifying the way we implement the business of conservation. This is your NRCS of the Future.