Best Management Practices (BMP) Program Applications Due on April 1st
Best Management Practices (BMP) Program Applications Due on April 1st Vermont Biz
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Introduction
The Best Management Practices (BMP) Program provides technical and financial assistance to farmers for the implementation of engineered, structural improvements on farmsteads which are designed to protect and improve water quality. The BMP program provides up to 90% cost share on eligible practices. The following are some examples of BMP eligible practices:
- Manure storage structures
- Composting stack pads
- Barnyard runoff collection systems
- Gutter & ditches to divert clean water
- Laneway development and stream crossings for livestock
- Milk house waste collection and treatment systems
Since 2020, the BMP program has provided nearly $40 million in cost share supporting water quality improvements on about 130 different farms across the state.
The Severy Farm
The Severy Farm, owned and operated by Nate and Karianne Severy, is one of the many farms which has received technical and financial assistance through the BMP program.
The Severy Farm is a small 100% grassfed and organic dairy in Cornwall, VT. With the help of BMP funding, the Severys did a major revamp of their waste collection and management systems. They replaced an old and damaged concrete barnyard, created a gravel stack pad to store solid manure, and built a reception pit with a pump system to collect milkhouse waste and liquid manure from an adjacent holding area. Liquid waste and runoff generated from each of these components is now fully collected in a clay-lined earthen manure pit, and a new access road was added to enable proper management of the pit. These updates not only supported the Severy family in more securely capturing their waste and meeting their water quality goals, but they have also proven to be a major labor-saver for the farm.
Application Process
Applications to receive technical and/or financial assistance through the Agency’s Best Management Practices (BMP) Program are due by April 1, 2024. Applications received by April 1st will receive an initial field visit from state engineers this spring. On average, state-designed projects receiving BMP financial assistance are not ready to begin construction until one year after the initial engineering field visit is completed. So, if you are interested in a potential BMP project for 2025, this is the perfect time to submit a BMP application! Applications submitted after April 1st will likely not receive an engineering visit until spring of 2025.
Visit http://agriculture.vermont.gov/bmp for more information on the BMP Program and to find an application. If you have any questions, please contact the BMP program coordinators Ellen Friedrich (802-261-5629) or Emma Redel (802-261-5628).
Multiple Ways to Apply for $600 Pandemic Stipend in Vermont
The Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Program from the U.S Department of Agriculture provides eligible workers with $600 stipends for expenses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Farmworkers (dairy, meat, and produce) that worked between January 27th, 2022-May 11th, 2023, within the United States or U.S territories are eligible. Immigration status is not an eligibility criteria but workers need to provide proof of identify and employment.
Workers that are eligible for relief payments are those in frontline farming activities, grocery stores, or meatpacking* who incurred expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This work should have been performed in the United States or certain U.S. territories (Guam, American Samoa, or Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) between January 27th, 2020, and May 11th, 2023. Applicants must self-certify they have not received this relief from another grantee.
Eligible workers can apply through PASA Sustainable Agriculture, which has partnered with other organizations in Vermont to connect with farmworkers and support them through the application process. You can access the PASA application at www.farmworkers.org. Support is available 24/7 via email, in English at [email protected], or in Spanish at [email protected]. Toll free phone support is available in English and Spanish at (833) 469-3397 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11:30 am–2:30 pm ET.
Farmworkers in Vermont are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Processing times vary, but can take several weeks. It’s very likely that these application windows will permanently close by early summer.
Online Locator for Agricultural Conservation Equipment & Services
Access to appropriate conservation equipment & services is essential to the successful implementation of many conservation practices on farms
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
- SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
- SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 6.3: Water quality improvement through the implementation of engineered, structural improvements on farmsteads.
- Indicator for SDG 12.4: Reduction in pollution and release of hazardous materials through the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP) on farms.
- Indicator for SDG 15.1: Increase in the number of farms implementing conservation practices and improvements to protect and promote soil health and water quality.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. | Water quality improvement through the implementation of engineered, structural improvements on farmsteads. |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.4: Achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Reduction in pollution and release of hazardous materials through the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP) on farms. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | Increase in the number of farms implementing conservation practices and improvements to protect and promote soil health and water quality. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: vermontbiz.com
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