By Sonia Howlett, Vt Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
The Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) program from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets supports hundreds of VT farmers every year to install conservation practices like cover cropping, rotational grazing, and manure injection.
FAP is relatively flexible and easy to access. FAP caps at $10,000 per calendar year. Grant applications are open now for any conservation practices planned to be installed in year 2025. Farmers can apply for one or multiple of the following practices:
|
Conservation Practice |
Eligibility Requirements |
Payment Rates |
|
Rotational Grazing* |
Rotating livestock >2x per week AND fencing animals out of surface water AND leaving >3” tall residual after grazing |
$30/acre |
|
No Till |
Planting annual crops without full width or deep tillage |
$15/acre |
|
Crop to Hay |
Rotating annual cropland into a perennial (“seed down”) |
$35/acre, or $45/acre if a nurse crop is used |
|
No Till Pasture and Hayland Renovation |
No till or frost seeding of perennial haylands or pastures |
$30/acre |
|
Manure Injection |
Injecting manure below the soil surface. Farms are eligible for payment once in spring and once in fall per field. |
$25/acre |
|
Cover Crop |
Spreading cover crop on soil surface (broadcast) by October 1st or incorporating it into the soil with a drill or light tillage (drilled or incorporated) by October 10th |
$30/acre broadcast or interseeded
$45/acre drilled or incorporated |
* If you are applying for rotational grazing, you must submit an approved NEW grazing plan and map with your application. Visit http://agriculture.vermont.gov/fap to download the NEW grazing plan template.
FAP cannot fund practices that the applicant is receiving payment for under another state or federal agreement. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) payment rates for each of these practices are higher than FAP payment rates, so if you have the option you would benefit from signing a contract with NRCS instead of/before coming to FAP.
Applications are due April 1, 2025 if they include ANY spring or summer practices, including rotational grazing, no till pasture and hayland renovation. Applications which only include fall practices such as fall manure injection or cover crop will continue to be accepted until August 1st.
For more information on the FAP program, the payment rates for each practice type, and to apply online, go to http://agriculture.vermont.gov/fap. Funding is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis, so apply now!
If you have specific questions about practice eligibility or how the FAP program works, contact Sonia Howlett at 802-522-4655.
Caption: No till pasture and hayland renovation, whether with a no till grain drill or through frost seeding, is eligible for FAP reimbursement. Apply by April 1!
