The Whitcombs have been farming in Vermont for 150 years. They manage a progressive dairy operation with robotic milkers and more than 500 Holsteins. In two transactions using VHCB and NRCS funding, the Whitcombs have conserved 410 acres in Williston and Essex Junction with over two miles of Winooski River frontage. Buffer areas along the Winooski are fenced to protect water quality. Click photo for VAAFM-VESP-Drone Video
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will use $3.6 million in new federal funding to purchase conservation easements on farmland. The funds come from the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), a Farm Bill initiative.
Gus Seelig, Executive Director of VHCB said, “Since 1997, VHCB’s partnership with NRCS has brought over $50 million to Vermont to complement state funding for farmland protection. To date, VHCB funding has been used to conserve more than 162,000 acres of farmland. Proceeds from conserving land can help farmers reduce debt, expand, diversify, install conservation practices, or buy their first farm. Helping farms transition to new ownership while staying in active agricultural use is a key goal of VHCB’s Farmland Protection Program and more than half of recent farmland conservation projects have enabled land transfers, either within the family, or to existing farm businesses.”
VHCB is the first organization in the nation to be certified to review and administer ACEP funds directly for farmland conservation projects. Certification will streamline the process, providing more efficient service to farmers. Through the efforts of Senator Leahy, the certification provision was added to the 2008 Farm Bill, with a goal of improving the program’s delivery and providing more flexibility to state agencies and private land trust entities.
Whitcomb family of the North Williston Cattle Company.
Protecting agricultural soils, promoting soil health, and enhancing water quality are other key goals of VHCB’s farmland protection program. Some of this new federal funding is specifically targeted to achieve these goals in the Lake Champlain basin through the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Working with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, approximately $4 million will be directed to additional agricultural easements that prioritize water quality improvements.
Vicky Drew, NRCS State Conservationist, said, “Conserved farms are eligible for RCPP funds to adopt practices and build infrastructure to improve environmental stewardship and protect water quality, such as installing riparian buffers or restoring wetlands. We look forward to working with VHCB to conserve an additional 25 farms with these federal funds. Vermont is working hard to couple land conservation efforts with management practices that protect water quality.”
VHCB’s Farmland Protection Program relies on non-profit conservation organizations such as the Vermont Land Trust and the Upper Valley Land Trust to work with farmers who are interested in selling development rights. These groups apply to VHCB on behalf of landowners for funding to conserve farmland. VHCB awards combine federal and state funding to protect farmland and leverage local fund raising, private foundation funds, and landowner bargain sales of conservation easements.
Source: Montpelier. VHCB 10.17.2017