Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAP)
AAP is a base level of management required for all farms in Vermont. Easy to implement, low-cost solutions for addressing water resource concerns. The AAPs were designed to reduce non-point pollutant discharges through implementation of improved farming techniques rather than investments in structures and equipment. State law requires that these practices must be technically feasible as well as cost effective for farmers to implement without governmental financial assistance.
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/AAP.html
Alternative Manure Management Program (AMM)
Provides funding to farmers interested in implementing new technologies dedicated to enhancing water quality and improving waste management. Projects funded through this program have included solid separation, nutrient removal, and waste treatment systems. Maximum cost share is limited to $100,000 through the AMM program. Total VAAFM payment is limited to 35% if the project is coupled with federal cost share.
www.vermontagriculture.com/documents/BMPApplication.pdf
Best Management Practices Program (BMP)
Provides cost share payments for installation of conservation practices to address water resource concerns. While farmers may realize an economic benefit from BMPs, it is unlikely that they will be affordable without governmental cost sharing. Commonly funded production area practices include waste storage facilities, silage leachate systems, milkhouse waste systems, and barnyard runoff collection. Production area practices are eligible for up to 80% cost share. Field practices, such as animal trails and walkways, are eligible for 50% cost share. If coupled with federal cost share, Agency cost share is limited to 35%. The yearly maximum payment for a single practice is $50,000 and $75,000 for two or more practices.
www.vermontagriculture.com/documents/BMPApplication.pdf
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
In partnership with the USDA, encourages the installation of conservation buffers along waterways by providing land owners with a yearly rental payment and by covering the cost of planting the buffer. Additionally, CREP covers the cost of installing fencing and livestock watering systems where animals on pasture are excluded from waterways. Contracts are either 15 or 30 years in length and payment is dependent upon past land use and whether the buffer is comprised of either trees and/or grasses. Minimum buffer widths are 25 feet for grass and 35 feet for tree buffers. Buffers cannot be harvested under this program. Payments can cover up to 100% of practice costs (for fencing, watering systems and plantings) and include a signup incentive of $2,005/acre and annual rental payments of $266/acre/year.
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/CREPwebsite/Home/Home.htm
Farm Agronomic Practices Program (FAP)
Provides farms with state financial assistance for implementation of soil-based practices that improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and agricultural waste discharges at up to $5,000 per farm. FAPP will provide funding incentive for NMP update, implementation, and maintenance with the aim of improving outreach education on agricultural water quality impacts and regulations. Eligible practices are: Cover Cropping ($30/acre); Nurse Crops ($25/acre); Strip Cropping ($25/acre); Conservation Crop Rotation ($25/acre); Alternative Manure Incorporation ($25/acre); Cross-Slope Tillage ($10/acre); Conservation Tillage ($12/acre); and Educational and Instructional Activities (up to $1,000).
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/FAP.html
Large Farm Operations Program (LFO)
Is an individual permitting process for farms with more than 700 mature dairy cows, 1,000 beef cattle or cow/calf pairs, 1,000 youngstock or heifers, 500 horses, 55,000 turkeys, or 82,000 laying hens. Like the MFO program, the goal of this program is to provide large farms with a Vermont-based alternative to federal permitting while assisting those farms with maintaining economic viability. A LFO permit prohibits the discharge of wastes from a farm's production area to waters of the state and requires the farm to land apply manure, compost, and other wastes according to a nutrient management plan. Unlike the MFO Program, LFO permits are individual to each farm and also regulate odor, noise, traffic, insects, flies, and other pests.
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/LFO.html
Medium Farm Operations (MFO)
All dairies with 200-699 mature animals, whether milking or dry, qualify as a MFO. Other common MFOs include beef operations (300-999 cattle or cow/calf pairs), horse operations (150-499 horses), turkey operations (16,500-54,999 turkeys), and egg facilities (25,000-81,999 laying hens without liquid manure handling system). The MFO program provides a cost-effective alternative to a potentially burdensome federal permitting program by allowing medium sized farms to seek coverage under a single Vermont state General Permit. The General Permit prohibits discharges of wastes from a farm's production area to waters of the state and requires manure, compost, and other wastes to be land applied according to a nutrient management plan.
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/MFO.html
Nutrient Management Incentive Grant Program (NMPIG)
Provides for development of a nutrient management plan (NMP) and three additional years of updates. The initial payment to develop NMP is $9 per acre, $15 per soil test, and $35 per waste storage facility test. Up to $5,000 is available for plan updates for following three years (not to exceed $14,000 total for NMPIG). Plans must meet state requirements for nutrient management, as explained in the General Permit for Medium Farm Operations, before receiving payment. Farms with NMP’s that have completed the NMPIG or farms that developed their plans through alternate means can apply for annual update payments of $3 per acre (up to $1000). Funding is also available for Pre-sidedress Nitrate Tests ($8 per test).
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/awq/NMPIG.html
Pesticide and Groundwater Monitoring Program (PMP)
Collects water samples from drinking water sources near agricultural lands to evaluate whether or not agricultural chemicals are reaching Vermont groundwater. The types of water supplies sampled by the PMP include: drilled, driven point or dug wells and springs, ponds or lakes used as drinking water supplies for human or livestock consumption and irrigation. The PMP tests wells in agricultural areas to help farmers learn about practices that prevent pesticide leaching and conserve the nutrients in fertilizers and manure in the soil. The water quality information provided by this program also helps farmers decide if tillage practices and crop rotations are working to reduce the amounts of nutrients and pesticides lost to groundwater or surface run-off. Sharing this information with farmers, agricultural dealers, landowners, conservation organizations and other departments of state government helps to improve agricultural practices, protect groundwater, raise public awareness and provide for clean drinking water and a healthy environment in Vermont.
www.vermontagriculture.com/ARMES/pidagchem.htm
Vermont Agricultural Buffer Program (VABP)
The program offers a 5-year maximum rental contract for the installation of conservation grassed buffers on cropland. Unlike the CREP program, VABP consists of planting harvestable grassed buffers. Areas in crop fields that are prone to erosion caused by flood events, which can be classified as flood chutes, are also eligible under this program to be planted into grass and harvested. Additional program details include that, No manure can be spread in the buffer area; Fertilizer can be used with soil test and nutrient recommendation; Payment of $123/ac to cover the establishment costs of new filter strips in addition to the annual incentive payments of $90 to $150 per acre per year; Forage in buffer can be harvested between June 1st and September 1st only; and Most buffers are 25 feet wide unless a water quality concern deems the need for a larger buffer
www.vermontagriculture.com/documents/VABP.pdf
