VERMONT HOUSING & CONSERVATION BOARD

WHO WE ARE

Established in 1987, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board has the dual mission of creating affordable housing and conserving Vermont’s agricultural land, forestland, historic properties, important natural areas, and recreational land that are of primary importance to the economic vitality and quality of life of the State.
Cover Photo: Monument Farms and conservation partners protected this stretch of nearly 100 acres along the Lemon Fair River in Weybridge.

BALANCING HEALTHY WATERWAYS & FARM OPERATIONS

Farmland Conservation Program

VHCB receives funding from the state and federal government (through the USDA’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program) to award grants to conservation partners across the state. These funds are used to purchase development rights on farms, which helps to keep farmland active and affordable for the next generation of farmers. Since the program began in 1987, more than 164,000 acres of farmland on 700 farms have been conserved with VHCB’s funds.

Viability Program

In addition, VHCB’s Farm and Forest Viability program was established in 2003 to provide business planning and technical assistance to farmers and agriculture and forestry-related businesses. In 2012, the protection of surface waters was added to VHCB’s enabling statute. Through the Viability program, VHCB provides grants of up to $50,000 to farmers for the purchase of on-farm infrastructure that will result in water quality improvement, such as manure pits, bedded pack facilities, and manure injection equipment.

Clean Water Service Provider Program

Through the DEC Water Quality Restoration Formula Grant, VHCB funds a variety of restoration projects in the Memphremagog watershed that reduce phosphorus in water bodies. These project proposals are first reviewed and approved by an advisory body called the Basin Water Quality Council and are usually managed by a partner organization, such as a conservation district or watershed association. Examples of work funded through this program include riparian and lakeshore buffer plantings, culvert upgrades, forest road decommissioning, strategic wood additions, and ditch and gully plugging.

Farmland Retirement Program

VHCB receives funding from the State’s Clean Water Fund to support its Farmland Retirement Program. The goal of this program is to fund buyouts of farms whose continued operation is detrimental to water quality. Typically this means targeting farms in situations where it is physically and/or financially infeasible to remedy the water quality problems. Generally these projects also involve a restoration component, which in the past has included restoring floodplain forest habitat, wetlands, and other resources in partnerships with organizations like Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and The Nature Conservancy. To qualify for funding, projects must result in all or a portion of the subject property being removed from agricultural production. VHCB funds can cover the cost of acquiring title to the property (fee acquisition) or a conservation easement as well as up to $20,000 in associated costs, which may include appraisals, boundary surveys, legal fees, staff time, and stewardship. Due to our funding source, we are unable to cover direct costs associated with remediation and restoration including the removal of structures, tree plantings, etc.

Former VLT staffer Liza Walker on a site visit with Dave DeFreest at the Waitsfield farm. Photo credit: Vermont Land Trust

In January 2024, fourth generation dairy farmer Dave Defreest worked with VLT and VHCB to conserve his 70 acres along the Mad River in Waitsfield for farming, flood resilience, and recreation. His decision reflects what is becoming the new normal with farmland conservation projects in Vermont: the inclusion of special protections to make farmlands more biodiversity friendly, restore the health of soils and watersheds, and make communities more flood resilient. To make these changes viable for farms, that are often already operating so close to the margin, farmers can draw from a variety of funding sources set up to fairly compensate landowners for these kinds of conservation investments. In addition to the conservation easement, funded by the Natural Resource Conservation Service and VHCB, on the entire property, Dave set up a 39- acre river corridor easement held by VLT, with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation holding a third party interest, to ensure that the Mad River, which flows for over 10,000 feet along the western boundary of the farm, will be able to flow more freely and expand into its natural floodplain when waters rise.

Dave also worked with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to retire more than eight acres of agricultural land close to the river. This former cropland is being planted with native trees and shrubs to improve water quality, flood resilience, and wildlife habitat. Next, Dave wants to remove invasive species and keep restoring his land, in partnership with VLT and like-minded partners, to enhance the land’s ecological functions in balance with its sustainable agricultural practices.

In addition to the significant natural resources that are protected here, this project ensures continued recreational access for the public along a trail, which runs for over a mile along the river. It is a favorite spot for local dog walkers and anglers. This path is maintained by the Mad River Path, a local nonprofit organization that stewards trails in the Mad River Valley.

CONTACT

Stacy Cibula, Agricultural Program Director(802) 828-5066s.cibula@vhcb.org Liz Gleason, Farm and Forest Viability Program Director(802) 828-2117egleason@vhcb.org
Nathanael Johns, Clean Water Program Manager (802) 828-555n.johns@vhcb.org VHCB All Staff Directory

STAY INFORMED

WHAT CONNECTS US TO VAWQP

Farmland Conservation Program Goals:

To fund farmland conservation projects on our highest quality agricultural land, especially those with prime and statewide important agricultural soils in strong farming communities
Serve as a perpetual steward of this conserved farmland, in cooperation with NRCS and our land trust partners

VHCB 30TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE

A celebration of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board's 30th anniversary. Interviews with a farmer, a homeowner, VHCB's Director, Gus Seelig, and others describe the context for VHCB's work, and the role of partner organizations in successful outcomes.

WHAT WE DO

FUNDING TO ORGANIZATIONS

Through technical, financial, and VHCB awards funding to partner organizations across Vermont for conservation, water quality, historic, and affordable housing projects. Partner organizations that VHCB frequently works with include land conservation organizations aka land trusts such as Vermont Land Trust, recreation organizations such as the Cross Vermont Trail Association, and affordable housing organizations such as the Champlain Housing Trust.

EASEMENTS

VHCB, in collaboration with NRCS and our land trust partners such as Vermont Land Trust, co-holds conservation easements on farmland. A conservation easement is a permanent legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust which extinguishes the development rights on a property. The goal is to protect certain important natural resources such as prime agricultural soils, wildlife habitat, and water resources. Agricultural uses can continue on the property and the easement ensures that the property remains affordable for the next generation of farmers. While VHCB’s primary role is a funder of these farmland conservation projects, it also serves as a steward of these conservation farms. As the easements are perpetual, there is an important role for VHCB and its land trust partners to monitor and enforce the terms of these easements. This is done through annual monitoring visits of all easements. The land trusts generally serve as the lead with the on-the-ground stewardship activities, but VHCB is brought in to serve in a consulting capacity in certain situations (e.g. addressing violations, easement amendment requests).

GRANTS FOR FARMS

When funding is available, the Viability Program awards grants on a competitive basis through our grant programs:

Water Quality Grants are available to help Vermont farmers make water quality-related capital improvements in order to comply with Vermont's Required Agricultural Practices.
Business Plan Implementation Grants are available to help past Viability Program participants implement their business plans. Eligibility requirements are determined each cycle, so please reach out to program staff to find out if you may be eligible.

BUSINESS PLANNING

The Viability Program offers business planning and technical assistance to enterprises that keep Vermont's working landscape in production. These include: farm businesses of all sizes and sectors; food businesses that process, store, market, or distribute local agricultural products; and forest products businesses such as maple producers, consulting forestry firms, loggers, sawmills, craftspeople and wood manufacturers.

The Viability Program also offers ownership succession planning for all the business types listed above. Additionally, the program provides forestland ownership succession planning assistance to families who own forestland in Vermont.

Learn more on our website!

Heifers at Fairmont Farms in East Montpelier, a 2020 VHCB water quality grant recipient which was awarded for a manure injection system.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHT

Phase One of the Valley Brook Restoration Project in Morgan was completed in 2023 and served as the first project funded by the DEC Water Quality Restoration Formula Grant through VHCB’s role as the Clean Water Service Provider for the Memphremagog Basin. This multifaceted restoration project on a retired dairy farm (acquired by the VT Fish and Wildlife Department through other VHCB funds) included barn decommissioning (through AAFM), culvert removal, road decommissioning, ditch plugging, reconnecting the stream with the floodplain, reseeding, riparian buffer plantings, removal of fill, and stream riffle construction. Before project work began, the site was significantly degraded with severe erosion from historical agricultural activities that led to nutrient and soil runoff into the stream. The Memphremagog Watershed Association served as the project manager and involved multiple other partners and funding sources to make this endeavor a success. Along with reducing approximately 27 kg of phosphorus per year, this project also has the co-benefits of improving flood resiliency, fish habitat, recreation, and public access.

JUMP-IN!

Review the VHCB website in particular the Farmland Conservation and Viability sections. Contact Stacy Cibula at s.cibula@vhcb.org if you have any questions or would like to learn more!

WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU!

Have questions or comments about this orientation section?
Contact Stacy Cibula, Agricultural Program Director(802) 828-5066s.cibula@vhcb.org

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