NEW! Up to 100% Cost Share for Farm and Forestland Practices
By Kait Jones, VT Department of Environmental Conservation
Thanks to a collaboration between the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the USDA/NRCS under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), you may now be eligible for up to 100% cost share on some conservation practices, including grazing, forestry practices (that address water quality), agronomic practices, feed management, and easements.
Ten million dollars in assistance to farm and forest landowners is available under this RCPP through 2026 to increase the implementation of agricultural and forestry best management practices (BMPs), wetland restoration, and conservation easements that improve and protect water quality. All Vermont farm and forest landowners are eligible, though priority in some areas is given to smaller landowners and parcels.
This RCPP program not only boasts a higher cost-share per funded practice than traditional Environmental Quality Incentives Programs (EQIP), it also places applicants seeking funding under this program into a separate ranking pool from EQIP. Which means to you, that your chances of your application being selected increases. In addition, since RCPP is not affected by the EQIP Farm Bill payment limitation, farmers who have reached the $450K EQIP spending cap may still be eligible under this RCPP program.
Applications to the RCPP program are due January 13, 2023.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has contracted with Redstart and the VT Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) to provide technical assistance to help you with assessments and planning and to make sure that you participate in the program where it makes the most sense for you.
For more information, visit DEC’s RCPP page or contact Kait Jones by email kaitlyn.jones@vermont.gov or by phone at 8002-505-1635.