Government Programs

State and Federal government programs are available to help farmers by reducing the costs associated with using practices that protect or conserve environmental resources. These programs pay farmers to:

• prevent soil erosion;
• grow cover crops;
• include rotations, cross slope tillage and strip cropping;
• maintain nutrient management plans;
• maintain vegetative buffer-strips on crop, hay, and pasture land along streams;
• manage their manure resources; and
• install fencing and crossings to keep animals out of streams.

Below is a summary of programs that can help farmers. Be aware that programs can change with funding cycles, so use the links for the most current information. The goals of many of these programs are to work with farmers to protect water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, or reduce non-point source pollution. Programs and their acronyms are described below. These programs offer farmers technical assistance on how to solve problems and cost-share the solutions. Please be aware that often State and Federal programs are combined, so farmers end up paying a small percent of the total costs.

Federal Programs

Federal Resources Overview from ATTRA
ATTRA publication Federal Resources for Sustainable Farming and Ranching offers an overview of the major federal conservation programs that provide resources for farmers and ranchers to enhance and maintain sustainable farming and ranching practices. This guide helps farmers and ranchers make their way through the often complex and difficult application processes.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) – New York
NRCS puts nearly 70 years of experience to work in assisting farmers with conservation. Their programs provide technical assistance and helps cover costs on a flat rate basis to farmers for implementing good conservation practices that improve environmental quality.
There are close to a dozen conservation cost-share programs that NRCS manages; listed here are the most common ones producers use.

Agricultural Management Assistance Program AMA
AMA’s  helps farmers cover costs of to address water management, water quality, and erosion control issues by incorporating conservation practices into their farming operations. Producers may construct or improve water management structures or irrigation structures; plant trees for windbreaks or to improve water quality; and mitigate risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices, including soil erosion control, integrated pest management, or transition to organic farming.

Conservation Security Program (CSP)
CSP identifies and rewards those farmers in specific watersheds, who meet the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations.
* National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's Farmer's Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
EQIP helps farmers install structural and implement management practices to improve environmental quality using a whole farm approach. Practices covered include those that better manage or store manure, prevent barnyard runoff, prevent soil erosion, develop compost facilities, and improve existing irrigation systems to reduce water-use. EQIP payment rates may cover up to 75 percent of costs and for limited-resource producers and beginning farmer’s up to 90 percent of costs. Payment contracts are from 1 -10 years.  There is a new program for certified organic and transitioning to organic farmers called Organic EQIP, a separate pot of EQIP money for organic growers. We recommend visting your county NRCS field agent to begin an application.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI)
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative provides assistance to agricultural producers located in the Susquehanna Watershed to minimize excess nutrients and sediments in order to restore, preserve, and protect the Chesapeake Bay. The initiative offers financial and technical assistance to eligible agricultural producers to install practices to help control erosion and nutrient loading before they reach the Chesapeake Bay. It is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, using the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) rules.

Producers that are engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land in the Susquehanna Watershed may apply for the initiative. Eligible land includes cropland, hayland, pasture, and other farmland as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Examples of eligible practices include: Cover Crops, Riparian Forest Buffers, Nutrient Management, Prescribed Grazing, and Waste Storage Facilities.

Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
The Grassland Reserve Program is designed to assist landowners and others with restoring and conserving eligible land. The emphasis of GRP is to protect and restore privately owned grassland to:
• preserve high quality grasslands, land that contains forbs, and shrub lands
• help eligible landowners conserve and protect eligible lands that are subject to risk of conversion
• support grazing operations
• maintain and improve plant and animal biodiversity
Technical and financial assistance is available for restoring and protecting the functions and values of grasslands, land that contains forbs, and shrub land.

Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)
FRLPP provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm in agricultural use. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value.
 
Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) provides low-interest financing for producers to build or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities. The FSA is authorized to implement the program through
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
The following commodities are eligible for farm storage facility loans:
• Corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley or minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain
• Corn, grain sorghum, wheat, oats or barley harvested as other-than-whole grain
• Pulse crops - lentils, chickpeas and dry peas
• Hay
• Renewable biomass
• Fruits (includes nuts) and vegetables - cold storage facilities

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
WRP helps landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands with technical and financial assistance.

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)
WHIP helps landowners establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat with technical assistance and covers up to 75 percent of costs. Contracts generally last from 5 to 10 years.

State Programs

Crop Insurance
NYS Department of Agriculture and Market’s risk management education efforts increase farmers’ understanding of and participation in Federal crop insurance programs as a production risk management tool. Crop insurance programs are administered by the USDA Risk Management Agency. Polices are purchased through private insurance companies with rates subsidized by USDA for increased affordable. Crop insurance programs cover: corn, small grain, forage seeding, apple, nursery, and sweet corn crops. There also is a new policy that protects adjusted gross revenue, instead of specific crops.