CFR > Title 7 - Agriculture > SUBTITLE B—Regulations of the Department of Agriculture > CHAPTER XIV—COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (parts 1400 to 1499) > SUBCHAPTER B—LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS (parts 1410 to 1499) > PART 1470—CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM > SUBPART A—General Provisions (§1470.1 to §1470.8) > 1470.4—Allocation and management.

1470.4—Allocation and management.

(a) The Chief will allocate acres and associated funds to State Conservationists:
(1) Primarily on each State's proportion of eligible land to the total amount of eligible land in all States; and
(2) On consideration of:
(i) The extent and magnitude of the conservation needs associated with agricultural production in each State based on natural resource factors that consider national, regional, and State-level priority ecosystem areas,
(ii) The degree to which implementation of the program in the State is, or will be, effective in helping producers address those needs, and
(iii) Other considerations determined by the Chief to achieve equitable geographic distribution of program participation.
(b) The State Conservationist will allocate acres to ranking pools, to the extent practicable, based on the same factors the Chief considers in making allocations to States.
(c) Of the acres made available for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012 to carry out CSP, NRCS will use, as a minimum:
(1) Five percent to assist beginning farmers or ranchers, and
(2) Five percent to assist socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
(d) In any fiscal year, allocated acres that are not enrolled by a date determined by NRCS may be reallocated with associated funds for use in that fiscal year under CSP. As part of the reallocation process, NRCS will consider several factors, including demand from applicants, national and regional conservation priorities, and prior-year CSP performance in States.
(e) Of the CSP funds and acres made available for each fiscal year:
(1) The Chief will reserve 6 percent of funds and acres to ensure an adequate source of funds and acres for the CCPI. Of the funds and acres reserved, the Chief will allocate:
(i) Ninety percent to projects based on the direction of State Conservationists, with the advice of State Technical Committees; and
(ii) Ten percent to projects based on a national competitive process established by the Chief. In determining funding allocation decisions for these projects, NRCS will consider the extent to which they address national and regional conservation priorities.
(2) Any funds and acres reserved for the CCPI in a fiscal year that are not obligated by April 1 of that fiscal year may be used to carry out other CSP activities during the remainder of that fiscal year.