National Bulletin:	300-22-53	Date:	August 24, 2022
Subject:	LTP – Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Renewal Application Evaluation and Obligation Guidance

Action Required By: November 18, 2022, and December 30, 2022

Purpose. To provide State Conservationist (STCs) and Caribbean and Pacific Islands Area Directors with guidance to evaluate and obligate FY 2023 Conservation Stewardship Renewal contracts.

Expiration Date. September 30, 2023

Background. The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) authorized NRCS to offer an opportunity during the first half of the fifth year for CSP contract participants to apply to renew their existing CSP contract for an additional 5-year period. NRCS issued National Bulletin 300-22-23 in February 2022 to establish application signup deadlines for CSP renewal applications that will be considered for funding in FY 2023.

Explanation. States will follow guidance contained in this bulletin, Title 440, Conservation Programs Manual (CPM), Part 530, “Working Land Conservation Program Manual,” Subpart Q and National Instruction 440-310, including exhibits H and I, to evaluate and obligate FY 2023 CSP renewal applications. States must manage their renewal workload to ensure all approved renewal applications are obligated prior to the expiration of the existing contract.

Application Assessment, Ranking and Obligation. States must -

• FY 2023 Renewal applications will compete together for funding through the 2023-1 Renewal signup. The renewal signup included applications based on the following existing contracts:

o 2018-1 General
o 2018-1 Renewal
o 2018-1 RCPP-CSP

• Create ranking pools following the guidance in NI 440-310 and exhibits H and I using the same CART template and information that was used for the FY 2022 CSP General signup.
• Select eight State Priority Resource Concern Categories for each ranking pool.
• Edit and release subaccounts in ProTracts (after ProTracts FY rollover in October).
• Review the application, renewal offer, and supporting documentation.
• Verify that the agricultural and non-industrial private forestland delineation is consistent with Farm Service Agency (FSA) records or other STC approved sources.
• Confirm the basic and mandatory eligibility requirements are met. This includes verification of CCC-902 and Adjusted Gross Income determinations, checking vendor records and confirming control of land. Consult with the participant or FSA, as needed.
• Assessment, ranking, and preapproval selections must be completed no later than November 18, 2022.
• Use the FY 2022 Classic Activity List to identify the conservation activities eligible for the 2023-1 Renewal signup.
• Use the FY 2022 payment schedule for the 2023-1 Renewal.
• The stewardship threshold eligibility requirements for CSP renewals is found in 440-CPM-530, Subpart-Q-530.302(E)(3).
• Develop a new conservation plan and plan map(s) in Conservation Desktop. Plan type will be “Conservation.”
• States must notify all unfunded renewal applicants of their status using the, “CSP Unfunded Renewal Notification Letter” found in 440-CPM-530, Subpart-Q-530.320(F).
• All renewal applications must be obligated no later than December 30, 2022.

States may digitize land units, plan practices, and complete assessments prior to the year-end rollover. Additional resource inventory questions may need to be completed after rollover due to minor changes to the resource inventory.

Application ranking will not roll forward and should not be completed until after October 11, 2022.

Notify national headquarters in a timely manner about any contract issues preventing obligation.

Contact.

Direct questions about the content of this bulletin through the appropriate State contact to the Financial Assistance Programs Division SharePoint site.

/s/

KAREN WOODRICH
Acting Deputy Chief for Programs