One of the major problems that contributes to Vermont’s water quality woes is phosphorus run-off from Vermont dairy farms.
“Our programs are designed to help farmers implement systems that will reduce run-off from agricultural operations,” said the Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s Nina Gage.
Grants available through the Capital Equipment Assistance program are giving a handful of Vermont farmers the funding needed to invest in innovative equipment to reduce phosphorus runoff that their cows contribute to the state’s water pollution.
“This includes, manure injection, cover crops will increase soil health and reduce any runoff coming from those fields, especially in the springtime. It provides cover to that field while we go through kind of our major flooding season in Vermont,” Gage said.
The agency has had a similar grant in past years that farm owner Jonathan Lucas has taken advantage of. “I as a farmer really have to think about my cows first and their comfort. A no-till grain drill like that would be a lavish expense on my own, so the grant was a big help, otherwise we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it,” Lucas said.
He says the the grant not only helped with phosphorus runoff but also helped with production. The drill allows for corn seed to be planted in the fall instead of the spring, so there is less need for manure spreading in the spring, when wet conditions can contribute to runoff. He says the money saved helps him properly dispose of the excess manure while still turning a decent profit for his farm.
State agriculture officials works alongside farms to ensure that the equipment is reducing phosphorus output and the farmers enjoy using new equipment so they can lead other farmers by example. “It’s one thing about farmers — it’s really easy to be told that you need to implement certain practices but it’s a lot easier when you can watch your neighbor do it, and I think it’s really caught on in the community just seeing some of the things I’ve done and some of the things other farms have done,” Lucas said.
