Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP)
In Washington state all counties are required to identify and protect critical areas on agricultural lands. The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) offers a voluntary, incentive based approach for counties to meet that requirement by encouraging locally-led conservation programs and periodic reporting of stewardship practice implementation.
What is VSP?
In 2011, Okanogan County chose to participate in the Voluntary Stewardship Program, an incentive-based alternative approach to the Growth Management Act (GMA). VSP has two primary objectives: protect critical areas on agricultural land and maintain and improve the long-term viability of agriculture. VSP is NOT a set of new regulations; its purpose is to focus and maximize voluntary incentive programs that already exist. Participation is voluntary and the program only applies where agricultural activities and critical areas overlap.
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Okanogan County stakeholders completed a VSP Work Plan which was approved by the State of Washington Conservation Commission in 2018. The plan offers a locally driven, grassroots approach to managing interactions between critical areas and agricultural activities, rather than 'one-size-fits-all' regulation. Also available: Okanogan County VSP Biennial Report. For more information, email us.
Benefits of a VSP
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Agricultural producers are NOT regulated by their level of protection of critical areas.
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VSP is reported at a watershed scale and there are no identifying landowner characteristics (counties not in VSP report at a parcel scale).
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Promotes agricultural viability.
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Okanogan CD staff can provide assistance in developing stewardship plans for individual properties.
