New Program Available for Farmers, and Landowners

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA has announced a new program to protect the waters of Chesapeake Bay called the “Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative”. It will help farmers, and landowners in the Potomac, and Rappahannock River watersheds including all of Fauquier County. NRCS will offer incentive payments for specific conservation practices related to livestock, buffers, nutrient management, cropland rotations, and cover crops. In addition, there are some unique conservation practices that will be eligible for financial assistance such as alternative methods of seeding of cover crops, stream side fencing, and incentive payments for increasing levels of nutrient management practices.

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBI) is a new provision that was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. It provides technical and financial assistance to producers to minimize excess nutrients and sediments in order to restore, preserve, and protect the Chesapeake Bay. Under this initiative producers can receive assistance to implement a combination of conservation practices to better manage inputs, increase profits, reduce nonpoint source pollution, and improve soil and water quality.

CBI activities will be carried out according to a conservation plan developed with the producer. Priority conservation practices include cover crops, conservation tillage, nutrient management, stream buffers, crop rotations, and cropland conversion. Associated conservation practices such as grass waterways, diversions, critical area treatment, fence, field border, filter strips, and livestock watering facilities are also eligible for financial assistance. CBI practices can be used in combination with the Virginia state best management practices offered by the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District.

If you are interested, the next step is to contact the NRCS staff or the John Marshall SWCD staff in Warrenton @ 540-347-3120 or visit @ 98 Alexandria Pike, Suite 31. Warrenton,Va. 20186; or email: roger.flint@va.usda.gov. Applications from high priority watersheds will receive special consideration in the ranking process. NRCS plans to evaluate, rank, prioritize applications on a monthly basis beginning in February, 2009.

Date Last Modified: 03/23/2009