The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), in cooperation with the Division of Water Quality (DWQ), has begun the Voluntary Agricultural Incentive Program to help farming operations develop Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) that will help producers maximize crop yields while staying in compliance with state water quality regulations.
Donor Name: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF)
State: Utah
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 07/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000
Details:
Goal
The goal of the Agriculture Voluntary Incentive Program (AgVIP) is to implement practices that can increase crop yields, improve soil health, and add value to operations, while improving water quality.
Fertilizer and manure application to crops in the State of Utah help maximize yields and improve soil health. However, the over application of nutrients can be expensive and have adverse impacts on the environment, including water quality.
As an incentive to participate in this program, UDAF has agreed to pay each producer a one-time $1,000 payment to work with a conservation planner to develop a CNMP. Once the plan is completed, the $1,000 payment will be made to the producer. This $1,000 can be used to cover the cost of soil and manure test that the cooperator will collect to develop the CNMP. After the CNMP has been implemented for a one-year period, UDAF will then pay the producer $12/acre for each acre covered under their CNMP. At the end of each year the producer will sit down with their Nutrient Management Planner and review their soil tests, manure tests, and application records. If the planner determines that the plan was followed correctly the annual payment will be submitted to UDAF and a check will be issued to the producer.
This is a voluntary, incentive-based program. A producer’s inability to correctly follow the CNMP developed for them will not result in regulatory actions. However, if they do not follow the CNMP developed for them they will not be eligible to receive the $12/acre incentive payment for that year. All records will be kept at USDA Service Centers, or UDAF offices in locked filing cabinets.
For more information, visit UDAF.
