AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Are you a new farmer in Chenango County? Would you like to get involved with the funding programs that are offered through the Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District? Your first step is to participate in the Agricultural Environmental Management Program (AEM). Agricultural Environmental Management is a locally led, statewide program that strives to maintain both the environmental quality and the economic viability of agriculture in our county. This voluntary, confidential program utilizes a watershed approach to inventory, plan and implement best management practices on the farms in our community. Anyone who is interested in apply for state funding for best management practices must be a participate in the AEM program. The first tier or step is a worksheet that very short and takes a few minutes to complete. The worksheet asks basic farm questions and landowner contact information. The second tier, is a lengthy series of worksheets that assesses the natural resources on the farm and requires an hour or two to get through. These questions are used to prioritize areas of the farm that are in need of a management practice to protect water quality and soil health. The next step is to develop a conservation plan to address a specific concern that was identified by the tier 2 assessment or a concern that the farmer may have. After the conservation plan, which is designed to address a specific aspect of the farm (i.e. farmstead or pasture management), a more in-depth plan is developed called a Nutrient Management Plan. This plan is created to management nutrient resources on the farm in an environmentally and economically sound manner. The fourth tier is the implementation of the best management practice where the District will design and oversee construction. The final tier is designed to evaluate practices that were installed through the program to make sure that the practice is working as intended and that the farmer is happy with the outcome.

The AEM program works in conjunction with the Agricultural Non-Point Source Abatement and Control Program. In order to receive funds from the state, a conservation plan must be written for one of the priority concerns. For more information on how to get involved, please contact the Soil and Water District.

AGRICULTURAL NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION ABATEMENT & CONTROL PROGRAM

The Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Abatement and Control Program is a competitive grants program funded through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. The Agricultural Non-point Source Abatement and Control Program is intended to support the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program in New York State by funding plans and implementation projects that will reduce and/or prevent the non-point source pollution from agricultural activities. Grant proposals for this program are written, implemented and administered by the Soil and Water Conservation District staff. Since the proposals are competitive in nature, the cost share ratios are usually at a 75% state share and 25% farmer share. Requests for proposals are submitted once a year by the Soil and Water Conservation District. Each grant proposal combines farmers who are interested in similar best management practices or addresses similar resource concerns in a common watershed area. This particular grants program funds conservation practices related to livestock waste management, pasture management, comprehensive nutrient management planning, and barnyard runoff control practices.

The Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District has been very successful in obtaining money through the Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Abatement and Control Program. In six grant cycles the District has implemented best management practices on 90 farms. Excluding other funding sources or the farmer’s share, the District has implemented over $1,361,477.81 in state dollars to directly fund conservation practices.

Often, the District combines dollars from federal sources to help offset the 25% required match to producers. This technique has ensured both successful grant proposals and lowered costs to the producer. Federal programs, that are administered by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services and the Farm Service Agency that the District has used to offset costs are; the Conservation Reserve Program, Grasslands Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and Agricultural Management Assistance.

The District has also been successful in obtaining additional dollars through other cooperating agencies. The Upper Susquehanna Coalition has helped the District fund best management practices on farms including; fencing, wetland construction, stream crossings, and stream rehabilitation. The Finger Lakes Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) has helped the District by writing for additional funding to help fund conservation practices with a focus on grazing.