Call for Participants - Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) research initiative 'Linking Farm Phosphorus Reduction Planner (FarmPREP) to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, Water Quality Division seeks 10-12 farm operations willing to participate in a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) research initiative 'Linking Farm Phosphorus Reduction Planner (FarmPREP) to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)' funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (UDSA NRCS).
This CIG research initiative will lay the groundwork for a new program, the Vermont Pay-for-Phosphorus (VPFP) Program. Pay-For-Phosphorus is an innovative pay-for-performance approach that pays farmers for the pounds of phosphorus reduced by implementing conservation practices, as opposed to paying farmers a portion of the cost to install a practice. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency reestablished a Phosphorus TMDL for the Lake Champlain Basin (LCB), which includes specific reductions on agricultural land ranging from 20.0% to 82.8% per lake segment. The novel pay-for-performance VPFP program will pay farmers for phosphorus reductions beyond the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Base Load. AAFM anticipates providing the first phosphorus payments under the VPFP Program based on the 2022 growing season. You can learn more at agriculture.vermont.gov/VPFP.
AAFM is seeking 10-12 farms statewide who are willing to participate in our CIG research initiative, which will be critical in the development of the VPFP Program. Interested participants must manage at least 15 acres of hay or cropland and be interested in providing input for the development of the VPFP Program.
The expectations for interested participants include:
- Collaborate with AAFM non-regulatory staff over the course of the year from March to December of 2021
- Provide AAFM with the following information:
- up to date plan for crops and nutrient application for all fields for entire farm operation for the 2021 calendar year and farm maps to correspond with these fields
- up to date soil tests (within 3 years) for all fields, and manure tests for all manure sources
- an update about any changes from your initial plan mid summer (July) and end of year (December)
- Attend a seminar to gather final input and review results of data analysis
- Complete surveys about your experience participating in this research initiative
- Optional - Allow AAFM staff to trial a field check protocol for your farm
- Optional - Attend, present and/or serve on a stakeholder advisory panel for VFPF Program (Please note that this is not guaranteed based on CIG participation)
As a participant in this initiative, the benefits include a one time incentive payment for participation of $1,750.00, and the opportunity to help inform a pay-for-performance approach to conservation in Vermont. There will be the opportunity to provide feedback for program development based on your farm management and based on your experience in this initiative. VAAFM is also able to automatically enroll participants in the Farm Agronomic Practice (FAP) program for any eligible conservation practices (go to agriculture.vermont.gov/fap to learn about FAP eligible practices) planned for 2021 season. Lastly, participation in this CIG initiative will provide priority ranking for the first ever Phosphorus payments under the VPFP program in 2022 (pending all state and federal eligibility and compliance processes required for receiving those funds).
If you are interested in participating in this research initiative, please reach out to Sonia Howlett at 802-522-4655, or complete this intent to participate form and AAFM staff will be in touch by March 1st, 2021.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number NR201644XXXXG001.