The Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets is accepting applications for its Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) Grant.
Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/01/2025
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Financial assistance is available for 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, mitigate greenhouse gases, and reduce costs to farmers.
Eligible Equipment Categories
- Precision Agriculture – to improve nutrient management planning and precision nutrient application.
- Conservation Tillage – to reduce the frequency or intensity of tillage operations.
- Cover Crop Equipment – to increase or improve cover cropping implementation.
- Liquid Waste Management – to improve efficiency and methodology of applying liquid waste and to follow Nutrient Management Plan recommendations.
- Bedded Pack Management – to enable or improve intentional and effective management of composted bedding packs
- Feed Management – to address silage leachate issues in feed bunks OR to increase haying height.
Eligible equipment and corresponding funding caps or cost share rates can change based on funding availability and other factors, please refer to the most current Program Details for more information on eligible equipment.
Eligibility Criteria
- Vermont Farms required to comply with the Required Agricultural Practices
- Custom Operators
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Research Institutions.
Ranking Criteria
- Water Quality & Climate Investment Impact
- Priority will be given to equipment with a greater expected positive impact on state water quality and climate goals. This supports equipment with lower costs per acre of practice implementation, use of equipment on multiple farm operations, increased acreage or quality of practices, and higher degree of intended improvement from the applicant’s current management. Priority will also be given for innovative equipment or equipment that will support research on new practices or equipment for use in Vermont.
- Long-term & Effective Adoption
- Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate lower risk and higher likelihood of long-term & effective adoption, as assessed by AAFM. This priority supports applicants with experience with the practice & the equipment, applicants receiving implementation support from technical assistance advisors, higher percent adoption on applicable cropland, and past history of compliance with grant requirements and reporting.
- Geographic Area
- Based on program statute, priority will be given to projects in Missisquoi Bay, Southern Lake Champlain and Otter Creek tactical basins, and then in descending order the rest of the Lake Champlain Basin, Lake Memphremagog, Connecticut River, and the Hudson River.
- New Applicants
- Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received CEAP grants.
For more information, visit VAAFM.
