After entering your acres into the online database, attach the following to your signed contract and certification page:

• FORMAL GRAZING PLAN
  A formal grazing plan is required for participation in the Rangeland offset program. CCX rules state that a formal grazing plan may be developed by NRCS, other conservation service or a private rangeland consultant. At minimum, a formal grazing plan must meet NRCS standards. To meet this standard a formal grazing plan must include ALL of the following elements, and must be submitted with the Rangeland Application.
  
  1. Name (or number) of each management unit (pasture)
  2. Acres included in each management unit, non-enrolled areas is each pasture clearly noted and subtracted from pasture enrollment.
  3. Land resources within each pasture are identified. These resources include soils and soil productivity, pasture condition, and forage identification, distribution and estimated yields. Sensitive or problem areas and/or resource limitations are identified.
  4. Foreage production data and forage-animal balance for each management unit (AUM) showing light to moderate stocking rates.
  5. Identify periods of grazing and periods of rest, the sequence of which provides that no pasture be grazed year after year during the same period of the growing season, or provides for proper season-long distribution, for each management unit.
  6. Contingency plan (drought or disaster mitigation plan.)
  
  
• PASTURE MAP
  Must clearly show outside boundary fences, cross fences, water sources, legal descriptions, and acres within each management unit. Pastures clearly labeled as listed in the Formal Grazing Plan. Overview maps showing entire system, no larger than 11"X14" are preferred. Be sure to clearly mark any ineligible (ie. State, Federal, or Tribal or ungrazable) land included in the system, but not entered for carbon credits. Also mark any "alternative management" areas (ie. Native hay meadows, calving pastures, winter feeding areas or working areas) included in the system but not enrolled for carbon credits.
  
  
• PROOF OF OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF NATIVE RANGELAND
  May be one of the following:
  
  • FSA Form 578 showing you as the "operator".
  • NRCS EQIP contract or CSP contract in your name.
  • Lease agreement clearly stating operational control.
  
  
• GRAZING NARRATIVE
  The Grazing Narrative is an important part of a Rangeland carbon credit application. The Narrative is a cover letter; it is intended to introduce the ranch and give a broad picture of the ranching operation's utilization of appropriate prescribed grazing practices. The following outline should be used.
  Introduction: Briefly describe the location, size and scope of the ranching operation. Include total acres under management, dividing out privately owned, privately leased, and publically owned lands.
  The Grazing System: Generally describe what type of prescribed grazing system is used in the ranching operation. Discuss the development of the system, resources used, how the system has been modified or improved over time, and any conservation agencies or consultants that have provided input into the development of the grazing system. Discuss problems that the grazing system has been used to address and any plans for future improvements.
  Drought Mitigation: Explain what practices will be used in the future to deal with severe, long-tem drought conditions. If drought has been ongoing, what has been done in the past is also useful information.

***Incomplete enrollments or those received after the deadline may not be considered**

PLEASE NOTE

All documentation may be submitted electronically via email to carboncredit@ndfu.org. Be sure your contract number is in the email subject as well as on all attachments. Signed original contracts must be submitted via regular paper mail. In addition to shapefiles, acceptable file formats include: .pdf, .jpg, .xls, .xlsx, .tif, .bmp, .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf, .csv.