VERMONT Agency of agriculture, food and markets

WHO WE ARE

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) facilitates, supports and encourages the growth and viability of agriculture in Vermont while protecting the working landscape, human health, animal health, plant health, consumers and the environment.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets Water Quality Division is the section involved in the VAWQP. More than 1.2 million acres of Vermont land is devoted to farming, and agriculture is one of our most important industries. Agriculture preserves open land, provides us healthy local foods, and is an essential part of Vermont's identity. At the same time, Vermont's waters are critical to our economy and to our quality of life.

Additional divisions at VAAFM include:

Grassland Manure Injection in Addison County supported by UVM Extension with funding through the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program.

BALANCING HEALTHY WATERWAYS & FARM OPERATIONS

The VAAFM Water Quality Division is responsible for administering the Vermont Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. This includes:

Farm Water Quality Inspections and Enforcement
Education and Outreach to the Agricultural Community about Regulations and Requirements
Technical and Financial Assistance to Achieve State Water Quality Goals

Vermont's Required Agricultural Practices are rules designed to help farmers implement effective farm and waste management practices that simultaneously promote the long-term viability of farms and the health of our state waterways. If you have questions or would like to speak to a member of the Agency's water quality team, please call 802-828-2431.

CONTACT

Find contact information for all of the Water Quality Program Staff.

STAY INFORMED

- - Agriview: A monthly newsletter for the Vermont agricultural community with the information they need to stay abreast of changing regulations, to get help and answers to questions, to identify and take advantage of available resources, and to stay connected to one another.
  - VAAFM Newsletter: Weekly updates and news including updates on projects, grants and events!
  - Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC): Stay up to date with projects, resources and opportunities available through the DBIC that promote the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products.
  - Find us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

WHAT CONNECTS US TO VAWQP

INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

VAAFM is responsible for ensuring farms meet the State agricultural water quality non-point source regulations, including implementation of effective land, waste, and farm management practices that prevent impacts to water quality.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

VAAFM works to reduce non-point source nutrient pollution from agricultural land through education and outreach programs, as well as grant awards to partners through the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program (Ag-CWIP). Ag-CWIP, which is made possible by the Clean Water Fund (CWF), supports partners to provide educational programs, innovative phosphorus reduction strategies, and technical assistance to Vermont farmers.

FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The overall goal of our work is to improve water quality in Vermont. To meet this goal, we administer a variety of technical and financial assistance programs for farmers in order to improve and protect water quality.

AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR WORK ON FARMS

Learn about the work farms are doing to ensure water quality with an understanding of their inspection results for future generations through VAAFM conservation programs.

WHAT WE DO

REGULATORY PROGRAMS

VAAFM has developed a comprehensive approach to the regulation of farms in order to best protect Vermont’s water resources. VAAFM’s approach provides size-specific regulatory oversight of Vermont farms of all sizes subject to regulation under the Required Agricultural Practices (RAP) Rule, including Small Farm Operations (SFOs), Certified Small Farm Operations (CSFOs), Medium Farm Operations (MFOs), and Large Farm Operations (LFOs).

VAAFM also regulates Technical Service Providers, Custom Manure Applicators, and the generators or haulers of non-sewage waste who are transporting or arranging for the transport of non-sewage waste to a farm for deposit into a manure pit or for use as an input in a methane digester.

Learn more about regulations.

ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE

Act 64: Vermont's Clean Water Act recognizes VAAFM water quality enforcement authority, including the authority to

- - - issue emergency orders to protect water quality;
    - require the implementation of mandatory corrective actions; and
    - remove livestock when the volume of waste exceeds farm capacity.

Under 6 V.S.A. Chapter. 215, when VAAFM identifies a small, medium, or large farm in violation of the RAP, MFO, or LFO requirements, VAAFM shall initiate the enforcement process. When a potential direct discharge is identified, the case is referred to the Agency of Natural Resources for further investigation.

PERMITTING

Any agricultural operation that meets the threshold of a farm is required to follow the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). Depending on the size of the operation there may be additional farm operating or general permit requirements. Medium and Large Farms are required to obtain permits while Certified Small Farms are required to annually certify their operation. The agency also oversees State of Vermont certifications for Custom Manure Applicators and Technical Service Providers.

Learn more about permitting.

FIELD PRACTICES

Farm Agronomic Practices Program (FAP): Utilizes state funding to help Vermont farms implement soil-based agronomic practices that improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and agricultural waste discharges. The FAP program also provides education and instructional activity grants to support outreach regarding the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality and current state agricultural water quality regulations.

FARMSTEAD PRACTICES

Best Management Practices: Technical and financial assistance for on-farm improvements and structural conservation practices to improve water quality such as manure storage, barnyard runoff collection, laneway development, stream crossings, and more.

CONSERVATION EQUIPMENT

- Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP): Financial assistance is available for new or innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure.
- Equipment Rental: The Agency of Agriculture has put together an online resource that allows farmers, service providers, and partners to locate conservation equipment and services that are available from UVM Extension and Conservation Districts near them.

PASTURE AND GRAZING

Pasture and Surface Water Fencing Program (PSWF): Provides pasture management technical assistance and financial assistance to Vermont farmers to improve water quality and on-farm livestock exclusion from surface waters statewide.
Farm Agronomic Practices Program (FAP): Provides financial assistance for rotational grazing.

BUFFER PROGRAMS

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): Voluntary program designed to reduce sediment runoff and improve water quality by removing land from agricultural production and establishing vegetative buffers. State and federal funds are used to compensate landowners for the loss of productive agricultural land through upfront incentive payments and annual rental payments based on the total acreage dedicated to vegetated filter strips, forested buffers, or grassed waterways.
Grassed Waterway and Filter Strip Program (GWFS): Provide technical and financial assistance to Vermont farmers for in-field agronomic best practices to address critical source areas, erosion, and surface runoff.

OTHER INITIATIVES

VAAFM Water Quality Division engages and leads several other initiatives to further explore the innovate approaches to water quality. Below are a few examples:

- - Vermont Farmers Ecosystem Stewardship Program (CSP-Assist): A program that provides one-time payments to farmers participating in the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program. This program is designed to incentivize enrollment in this payment for ecosystem services program. It was established in 2023 based on recommendations from the Vermont Payment for Ecosystem Services and Soil Health Working Group.
  - Vermont Pay-for-Phosphorus Program (VPFP): A program that will build a novel Pay-for-Performance program in the State of Vermont that will pay for phosphorus reductions above the Lake Champlain Basin Phosphorus TMDL reduction requirements.
  - Vermont Environmental Stewardship Program (VESP): VESP’s goal is to accelerate water-quality improvements through additional voluntary implementation efforts, and to honor farmers who have already embraced a high level of land stewardship.

TRAININGS FOR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

VAAFM supports, organizes, and provides trainings as requested by partner organizations on topics such as farm regulations and permitting, the Vermont Partner Database, and more.

WORKSHOPS FOR FARMS

Workshops are offered throughout the year and will be updated in our newsletter and the VAAFM Events Calendar when available. Organizations providing workshops can apply 30 days prior to the event in order to provide farmer and Custom Manure Applicator required Water Quality Education Credits available to event participants.

FUNDING FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS

Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program: Funding is awarded to a wide variety of partner organizations through various grant opportunities such as Education and Outreach, Organizational Development, Farm Conservation Practice Surveys, Innovative Nutrient Reduction activities and more.

Additional contract opportunities are available through the Agency of Agriculture for service providers as well and are released via the VAAFM newsletter and/or posted online. Most state contracts are also posted on the State of Vermont Bid System.

All farms are required to follow the the Required Agricultural Practices, but inspections are only required for Certified Small Farm Operations and larger, which are farms with more than 50 dairy cows and/or 50 acres of annual cropland.

JONES FARM - CRAFTSBURY, VT

Jim Jones is a third-generation dairy farmer. He farms land near the Black River. Jim manages almost 800 acres of land, mainly forestland and sugarbush, with hay and corn fields between. The Certified Small Farm Operation has a herd of about 160 cows, calves and heifers. “We’ve done a lot, there is more we can do,” explained Jim as conservation was discussed on his farm. In 2017 Jones, along with two other small farms in Craftsbury, applied for a Capital Equipment Assistance Program grant with the Agency of Agriculture for a No-Till Grain Drill. “We wanted it so we can do it when we need it,” Jim explained. There are many small farms in similar situations, not having the capital to invest in their own equipment, so they rely on custom operators. The custom operators tend to prioritize larger farms leaving the smaller farms little time for a successful cover crop. Cover Cropping germination and success requires planting at optimal times so there are plenty of growing days for winter vegetation cover. Jim planted 50 acres of cover crop and is also experimenting with No-Till corn on almost 25% of his cropland. He is also working with the Agency of Agriculture’s Best Management Practice Program to build a covered manure stacking facility and secured additional funding through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) for this project. Jim continues to work with the Orleans County NRCD and Memphremagog RCPP Program to make improvements on his farm, including graduating from the Nutrient Management Planning Course offered through UVM Extension last year.

JUMP-IN!

Test your knowledge of the RAPs! The RAP Quiz is an engaging education course designed by the Orleans County NRCD as part of an Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Grant that includes an outline of how the RAPs apply to farmsteads, ﬁeld & nutrient management, video and photo examples of commonly misunderstood RAP topics, such as livestock exclusion from surface water, information on how different management practices impact water quality, and links to resources for grants and assistance. The quiz takes about an hour to complete.

Here is a testimonial from a Vermont Farmer about the RAP Quiz:

Partner Database

The Partner Database is a geospatial database for non-regulatory VAAFM staff and partners that conduct farm visits. It serves to coordinate the work of the partners and ensure that support to farmers is consistent and that their work on BMPs is tracked. Partners include staff of UVM Extension, the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD), the Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA), and the American Farmland Trust (AFT). BMP tracking also allows for better estimation of phosphorus reductions and therefore more accurate TMDL reporting.

Learn more about the Partner Database and review trainings here.

Access the Partner Database here.

Contact: Judson Peck - Judson.Peck@vermont.gov, 802-522-7041

AN INTRODUCTION TO WATER QUALITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Learn about the Lake Lessons program organized by the St. Albans Museum in collaboration with partner organizations in the Northwest of Vermont.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU!

Have questions or comments about this orientation section?

Contact Assistant Director Nina Gage at 802-622-4098 or at Nina.Gage@vermont.gov

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