Purpose
Financial assistance is available for new or used innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, mitigate greenhouse gases, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure.
Eligibility
- Vermont Farms required to comply with the Required Agricultural Practices
- Custom Operators
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Phosphorus Extraction Equipment Providers
Eligible Equipment Categories
- Precision Agriculture – to accurately and digitally observe, monitor and respond to field variability and improve nutrient management planning.
- Conservation Tillage – to reduce the frequency or intensity of tillage operations.
- Cover Crop Equipment – to increase or improve cover cropping implementation.
- Waste Management – to improve waste and nutrient management, nutrient application efficiency and methods.
- Feed Management – to reduce impacts from silage leachate, reduce feed imports, and increase haying height.
Eligible equipment and corresponding funding caps or cost share rates can change based on funding availability and other factors, please refer to the most current Program Details for more information on eligible equipment.
Interested in a manure injection toolbar? Make sure you choose a model that will work for you:
How to Apply
Grant Applications open by September 1 of each year. FY 2025 Applications were due to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets by November 1, 2024.
All grant applications must include the following REQUIRED components:
- Complete CEAP Application
- Complete Questionnaire (Word) or Questionnaire (PDF)
- 1-2 reputable quote/s for the requested equipment. Note that shipping or freight costs may be listed on your quote but are not eligible for financial assistance.
- Applications for feed management equipment need additional documentation:
- If applying for equipment to reduce silage leachate, reach out to your local engineer to request a site visit of your existing silos/bunkers.
- If applying for equipment to reduce importation of feed, reach out to UVM Extension to start developing a Whole Farm Nutrient Balance.
- Letter(s) of Support are optional and, if submitted, should be unbiased and add pertinent information about your application and its relevance to program goals.
Alternatively, fill out the attached PDF version:
Paper/PDF applications may be submitted by email to AGR.WaterQuality@vermont.gov or mailed to VAAFM CEAP Program, 116 State St Montpelier VT 05620. Please include ALL application components in the same email/envelope.
Assistance is available for the application process. Please contact your local conservation district or reach out to AGR.WaterQuality@Vermont.gov if you are in need of assistance.
Learn more:
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets held a webinar for potential applicants at 1pm on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024 to go over the basic details of the CEAP application and program setup.
More questions? Review the Frequently Asked Questions before reaching out with additional questions via email to AGR.WaterQuality@Vermont.gov
Resources for CEAP Grant Recipients
CEAP grant agreements have a length of 5 years, during which grantees are expected to maintain and continue using the equipment as described in the initial application. AAFM program staff will visit the grantee’s farm 1-2 times during this period to check on the equipment.
Reporting
CEAP recipients are required to report equipment usage for the first three (3) years of the grant.
This reporting requirement exists so the CEAP program can demonstrate cost-effective investments in getting conservation practices on the ground and to improve water quality on farms. CEAP is a competitive grant program, and a major consideration of the ranking and review process is the scale and impact of conservation committed to in the application. Recipients must report in the format specified in their grant agreement.
Annual Acreage Reports: Since recipients are selected to receive funds in part based on the expected conservation value of the equipment, the program requires recipients to meettheir acreage commitments, as specified in their CEAP grant. These must be submitted accompanied by all corresponding maps. If a recipient fails to meet their committed acreage they must submit an explanation or justification in written form alongside their report and maps.
For CEAP recipients who are also claiming practices for the Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) Program, they may fill out the following combined report:
Annual Narrative Reports: For some equipment funded through CEAP, a narrative report is more appropriate to capture the impact of the equipment on farm management and water quality. These must be submitted accompanied by at least one photo demonstrating the equipment’s use.
Annual Usage Reports cover a calendar year and must be submitted annually by January 15th to the contact listed below.
Contact Information
Email: AGR.WaterQuality@Vermont.gov
Mail: VAAFM CEAP Program, 116 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901