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Click on the links below for information:
Nutrient Management
Agricultural Land Preservation
Chesapeake Bay Program
Soil Testing
The Nutrient Management Act is a state law that passed in 1993. The regulations became effective in October 1997. The main goal of the Act is to minimize surface and groundwater nutrient loads from agricultural operations and to increase farm profitability through proper nutrient management. The Act requires nutrient management plans for operation that have the following criteria.
Nutrient Management Plans
Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Act (Act 38)
Required
Pennsylvania's Nutrient Management Act requires that all concentrated animal operations (CAOs), greater than 2 Animal Equivalent Units (AEU) per acre used for manure application (AU= 1,000 pounds of live animal weight) must develop a nutrient management plan for their operation.
Voluntary
Livestock and poultry operations that have 2 or fewer AEUs per acre may voluntarily develop a nutrient management plan under the act to receive limited liability protection, benefits of proper nutrient management and possible cost-share to implement plan identified BMPs.
To determine the number of AEUs, the following formula is used:
To determine the AEUs per acre, the following formula is used:
Remember, if your AEUs per acre is greater than 2, your operation is a CAFO and you are required to develop a nutrient management plan for your operation.
$$ Cost-Share $$
Plan Development Incentive Program (PDIP) Currently for CAO Operations only
Want to develop a PA approved nutrient management plan? Are you an existing operation that was producing livestock or poultry before Oct. 1997? If you said yes to both, you can apply for cost-share up to 75% of the total cost for the development of a nutrient management plan? The cost-share rates are shown in the table below. The nutrient management plan must be phosphorus based and developed by a certified planner. If you have questions about the PDIP Program please contact Lynn Ottaviani, Agricultural Conservation Technician, 570-928-7057 or click on the link below.
|
Operation Size |
Maximum Cost Share Rate |
Maximum Cost Share Payments |
|
0 – 85 acres |
75% of actual costs |
$640.00 per operation |
|
85 – 200 acres |
75% of actual costs |
Maximum = $7.50 |
|
200 + acres |
75% of actual costs |
$1,500.00 |
Nutrient Management Grant Program
If an agricultural operation has been in existence and relatively unchanged since Oct. 1, 1997, and installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) as called for in an approved nutrient management plan would put the operation’s financial condition in jeopardy, the Nutrient Management Grant Program, offered through the Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Program, may be of help.
What is the Nutrient Management Grant Program?
The Nutrient Management Grant Program is a cost-share based grant program designed to provide assistance to Pennsylvania farmers with state-approved nutrient management plans who need to have plan-identified BMPs installed, but whose financial condition is such that they are unlikely to do so.
What Grant Amount Is Available?
The Nutrient Management Grant Program can provide approved applicants
with up to 80 percent of the cost of implementing a BMP as detailed in
an approved nutrient management plan, not to exceed $75,000 per plan. Pennsylvania’s Agri-Link Program may be used in conjunction with this program.
Application Submission
The application requires information pertaining to the financial condition of
the agricultural operation, the projects to be constructed with the requested
funding, and the engineering and construction costs of proposed projects.
Applications can be obtained through a local county conservation district, or through the State Conservation Commission at the address listed below.
Applications are to be submitted to the Commission on the last 5 business
days of February, April, June, August, October and December.
PA State Conservation Commission
C\O PA Department of Agriculture
Nutrient Management Program
Bureau of Plant Industry
2301 N. Cameron St. Rm. G-11
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408
AgriLink Program
AgriLink is a cooperative effort of the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, the State Conservation Commission and local lenders to provide low interest loans to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) that are part of an approved
nutrient management plan under the Nutrient Management Act program. AgriLink Program loan funds are provided to eligible farmers through local commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, and local offices of the Farm Credit Service. AgriLink loan interest rates are lower than the current commercial rates. And, other AgriLink benefits include improved farm resources and management, and better environmental protection.
Eligibility
There are two major prerequisites for consideration of an application.
- Agriculture operations that were producing livestock or poultry on or
before Oct. 1, 1997 are eligible to apply for a low-interest loan under the program. - Agriculture operations must have an approved nutrient management
plan under the Nutrient Management Act Program in order to qualify for an AgriLink Program loan.
Participation in 3 easy steps:
1. Develop an approved nutrient management plan.
An eligible farmer must develop a nutrient management plan according to
Nutrient Management Act criteria and seek approval by the county conservation district.
2. Request an estimate of BMP construction costs from an engineer.
BMP designs and estimated construction costs must be reviewed and concurred in by the county conservation district.
3. Apply for an AgriLink loan with a participating local bank, savings and
loan institution, or Farm Credit Service.
For more information contact Lynn Ottaviani, Agricultural Conservation Technician,
570-928-7057 or click on the link below.
Agricultural Land Preservation
The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program was developed in 1988 to help slow the loss of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses. The program enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements (sometimes called development rights) from owners of quality farmland. The first easements were purchased in 1989. Counties participating in the program have appointed agricultural land preservation boards with a state board created to oversee this program. The state board is responsible for distribution of state funds, approval and monitoring of county programs and specific easement purchases.
In 1994 the Commissioners of Sullivan County established a seven member board consisting of three farmers, one local government representative, one building industry representative and two citizens at large to develop and oversee an easement program for Sullivan County.
Sullivan County Agricultural Land Preservation Program
The Sullivan County Agricultural Land Preservation Board purchases development rights or easements from farmers in Sullivan County. After an application is submitted and the application fee is paid, it will be checked to make sure that all minimum requirements are met (see minimum eligibility criteria below). If all minimum requirements are met, the board will complete an on-site assessment. The application will be scored with the Land Evaluation and Site Assessment system (LESA). The LESA system provides a way to rank the easement applications by evaluating soil and locational factors for each tract. These factors include development pressure and likelihood of impact of future development. The application with the highest LESA score will be appraised first, followed by the next highest LESA score, and so on.
Based on the appraisal, the Board will make the landowner an offer for their development rights. If both parties (the Board and the landowner) agree on the figure, the easement will be purchased using local and state dollars. The landowner will receive the money agreed to in the contract. They will still own the land, but because they no longer own the development rights, agricultural production will be the only future use of the land. A soil conservation plan must be followed when farming the property.
The program administrator can help you fill out an application or make sure you meet the criteria below:
Minimum Eligibility Criteria
- Be located in an Agricultural Security Area which has at least 500 acres enrolled which include Fox, Forks, Elkland, Cherry, and Shrewsbury Townships.
- Be contiguous acreage of at least 50 acres in size unless the tract is at least 10 acres in size and is either utilized for a crop unique to the area or is contiguous to a property which has a perpetual conservation easement in place which is held by a “qualified conservation organization,” as that term is defined at Section 170 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Contiguous Acreage is defined as all portions of one operational unit as described in the deed, or deeds, whether or not the portions are divided by streams, public roads, bridges, and whether or not described as multiple tax parcels, tracts, purparts, or other property identifiers. It includes supportive lands such as unpaved field access roads, drainage areas, border strips, hedgerows, submerged lands, marshes, ponds, and streams. - Contain at least 50% of soils which are available for agricultural production and are of capability classes I through IV, as defined by the USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service.
- Contain the greater 50% or 10 acres of harvested cropland, pasture or grazing lands.
If you would like a copy of the program (cost is $5.00) or would like more information please contact Lynn Ottaviani, Program Administrator at 570-928-7057 or actech@sullcon.com.
The Chesapeake Bay Financial Assistance Funding Program is a cost share program is available to farmers owning land within Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna or Potomac River Basin’s prior to 1984. Under the Chesapeake Bay Program eligible landowners may receive free technical assistance towards the planning, design and installation of structural BMPs and up to $30,000 in cost share funds towards the implementation of a nutrient management program. The maximum rate for the program cost-share is 80%.
Some of the eligible practices include, animal waste management, barnyard runoff control, roof runoff management, composting, permanent vegetative cover, diversions, grazing land protection, critical area protection, waterways, cropland protection, conservation tillage, stream protection, sediment and erosion control, soil and manure analysis.
Several other financial assistance programs are available to provide funding in the form of grants or low interest loans to offset the cost of nutrient management plan development and/or implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in an approved Act 6 nutrient management plan.
If you are interesting in learning more about or applying for any of these programs please contact Rod Morehart at the Lycoming County Conservation District at (570) 433-3003.
Sullivan County’s Implementation Plan for the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy
If you grow anything these days it is important to conduct proper soil testing. We have proven technology to find out what nutrients are in our soils and what each crop needs for optimum growth. When we over fertilize we waste time, energy, and money and this effects the bottom line. Here are some frequently asked questions about soil sampling.
How large an area can be included in a single soil sample and can several fields be combined into one sample?
The key is to sample uniform areas with similar manure, fertilizer and cropping histories. Too often a wrong assumption is made that if fields have the same crop then everything else is similar and one soil test is adequate for that crop. However, most of the time there is significant field-to-field variation in soil test levels. Thus, the best sampling strategy is usually to sample each field individually.
If the samples from individual fields that are managed exactly the same are very similar, these fields could be combined in the future. However, the Nutrient Management Technical Manual indicates that a single soil sample should not cover more than about 20 acres total.
How often should I take soil samples?
It is recommended that samples be taken every 3 years (the regulations for ACT 38 specify this testing for operations requiring nutrient management plans).
What is the standard procedure for soil sampling?
Guidelines for taking soil samples can be found in the Penn State Agronomy Guide and are summarized below:
- Do not wait until the last minute. The best time to sample is in the summer or fall.
- Take cores from at least 15 to 20 spots randomly over the field to obtain a representative sample. One sample should not represent more than 10 to 20 acres.
- Sample between rows. Avoid old fencerows, dead furrows, and other spots that are not representative of the whole field.
- Take separate samples from problem areas if they can be treated separately.
- In cultivated fields, sample to plow depth
- Take two samples from no-till fields: one to a 6 inch depth for lime and fertilizer recommendations, and one to a 2 inch depth to monitor surface acidity.
- Sample permanent pastures to a 3 to 4 inch depth.
- Collect the samples in a clean container.
- Mix the core samplings, allow to air dry and remove roots and stones.
- Fill the soil test container.
- Complete the information sheet, giving all of the information requested. Be sure to include the soil name. Remember, the recommendation can be only as good as the information supplied.
How can I find out more about the soils on my property?
This information is found in the Soil Survey. Every county has a Soil Survey. The Soil Survey maps out soil types on aerial photographs for the entire County. It also provides information on each soil found in the County. The Sullivan County Conservation District has copies of the Soil Survey for the public to use. We will gladly make you copies of this information. There is also a website on which the information can be accessed, just click on the link below.
Where can I get a soil testing kit or a soil probe?
If you would like to purchase a soil testing kit please contact Sullivan County’s Penn State Cooperative Extension Office at 570-928-8941. If you would like to borrow a soil probe from the Conservation District or would like more information about soil testing contact Lynn Ottaviani, Agricultural Conservation Technician, at 570-928-7057 or actech@sullcon.com.
