A freshly seeded pasture planting which was supported by the SFS program this fall. The field was previously in a corn-soybean rotation and had significant gully erosion. Now, perennial roots and leaves will be in place year-round to minimize erosion.
By Ellen Friedrich, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
There’s a newly improved water quality grant program available for all farms in Vermont -- the Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) program! Over the past year, our VAAFM team significantly revised the program previously known as the Grassed Waterway and Filter Strip (GWFS) program to better align it with water quality priorities & community needs, and to make enrollment more straightforward. We are thrilled to announce that the newly revamped and renamed Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) program is now open for enrollment on a rolling basis!
The Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) program provides technical and financial assistance for the installation of practices with perennial vegetation (think hayland vegetation). These seeded areas help reduce soil erosion & agricultural runoff and prevent it from reaching water. One-time, per acre payments are offered to support the long-term establishment of filter strips, pasture and hay plantings, and/or grassed waterways on farmland within 300 ft of surface water or ditches. All practices can be harvested for hay.
The program primarily focuses on land with a recent history of annual crops, but, in some cases, hayland/pasture impacted by flooding may also be eligible for assistance. The program prioritizes seeding down areas which have significant water quality concerns as identified by VAAFM staff. Depending on the practice and farmer commitment, maintenance agreements will last for either five or ten years.
Table: Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) Program Practice Payment Rates
|
Practice |
Five-Year Agreement |
Ten-Year Agreement |
|
Filter Strip (25-34 ft) |
Not eligible |
$200/acre |
|
Wide Filter Strip (35 ft +) |
$700/acre |
$1,000/acre |
|
Pasture/Hayland Plantings – Area with High Water Quality Concerns |
$700/acre |
$1,000/acre |
|
Pasture/Hayland Plantings -- Area with Low Water Quality Concerns |
Not eligible |
$200/acre |
|
Grassed Waterway Seeding |
Not eligible |
$1,000/acre |
One of the SFS program’s top priorities is supporting the implementation of wide, harvestable filter strips (also known as buffers) along the border of annual cropland and surface waters. In contrast to some other programs, the SFS program allows and encourages the harvesting of vegetation from filter strips. Harvesting filter strips not only provides yield benefit to the farmer, but also promotes water quality by removing nutrients in the vegetation, which prevents an excess buildup of nutrients in the soil along waterways. Another priority of the SFS program is helping to convert annual cropland with significant erosion, water quality, and/or flood risk into perennial vegetation.
If you are interested in expanding or enhancing your buffers or seeding down annual cropland on your farm, the Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) program may be a good fit for you!
To learn more about the program, please visit the program webpage at https://agriculture.vermont.gov/sfs. You may also contact Ellen Friedrich by email at ellen.friedrich@vermont.gov or by phone 802-261-5629.