CSP in South Carolina —One Landowner's Perspective

Alfalfa Producer Rewarded for Conservation Excellence

By Amy O. Maxwell, USDA-NRCS
Public Affairs Specialist

             Tucked away in the middle of a gorgeous, gently sloping landscape is Linda Sexton’s home and alfalfa hay operation. Located in Kinards , South Carolina , and straddling the county lines of Laurens and Newberry Counties , the Sexton farm is a great example of the benefits of conservation. The exemplary operation is also one of the nation’s first 2,220 farms to be enrolled in the Conservation Security Program (CSP). The program was unveiled this past spring when USDA Secretary Ann Veneman announced the first watersheds selected for implementation of CSP. In South Carolina , the Saluda River Watershed was chosen. NRCS administers this voluntary conservation program that provides payments for producers who have historically practiced good stewardship on their agricultural lands and offers incentives for those who want to do more. “This particular farm is truly an example of the CSP motto, which is reward the best and motivate the rest,” explained NRCS District Conservationist Lisa Good of Laurens County .

            Good began working with Sexton last year, and Newberry NRCS District Conservationist Craig O’Dell has been working with her for many years. Before she became officially established as an alfalfa farmer, her and her husband had experimented with several areas of agriculture. “My husband and I farmed after he retired from the airline industry, and we experimented with a hog operation, as well as a small grain operation.” Finally, Sexton took it on her own accord to establish an alfalfa hay operation, and supplies a single buyer. “We have just over 400 acres of alfalfa that we grow for hay.”

            Alfalfa is highly nutritious forage--higher in protein, energy and many minerals than any other roughage feed. It has a very long history, and is known as one of the earliest crops domesticated by man. Research indicates that remains of alfalfa more than 6,000 years old have been found in Iran , while the oldest reference is from Turkey in 1300 BC! Growers of the legume praise it for its high yield, wide adaptation, disease resistance, and feeding quality. The United States grows about 23 million acres a year—third in value behind only corn and soybeans.

            Once established, alfalfa requires careful management practices to ensure high yields and stand persistence. For example, timely cutting at the proper growth stage; control of insects, diseases and weeds; and replacement of nutrients removed in the forage. “Alfalfa has excellent forage quality if managed properly, and Mrs. Sexton has done her homework on the subject,” said Good.

            “Alfalfa production used to be a bigger industry in South Carolina in the 1950’s and 60’s, and it was often used in crop rotations,” explained O’Dell. However, because it can be expensive to establish, especially in small quantities, and because it is tedious to manage, it takes a producer who has the financial means and is willing to invest time into the practice. Therefore, it is not as common to find a landowner in South Carolina today who is committed to producing alfalfa. “Growing alfalfa for hay is not something you can just establish and watch it grow. It takes continual management, plenty of time and patience, and a creative approach.”

            Sexton was already practicing intensive nutrient and pest management, both which are critical to establishing a hearty alfalfa crop. Her acreage qualified as Tier 2 cropland, meaning that she had addressed soil and water quality to the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) standards on her entire operation. National statistics show that 40 percent of this round of CSP applicants qualified for Tier 2 contracts. Her contract was based on the conservation practice of forage harvest management, or specifically, cutting grass for hay. Furthermore, Sexton was going above and beyond in her stewardship activities, including collection of yield data, controlling noxious/invasive weeds on a spot basis, and testing her soil on a regular basis.

            “I received the direct mailing from the NRCS office regarding the kickoff of CSP in South Carolina and contacted the office to find out more,” Sexton said. “Because I found a market for the alfalfa, it has really been a rewarding experience, and hopefully will continue to be so,” she said. With a 10-year CSP contract, Sexton is realizing that her conservation efforts were definitely worthwhile. “This is a wonderful program to encourage producers to do all that they can to protect our natural resources, and now they will get rewarded for what many farm families have been doing for generations.”

            The selection of additional CSP eligible watersheds will soon be announced. 

For more information, contact your local NRCS office.