Enhanced Agriculture Best Management Practice (BMP) Pilot Projects

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

NEW YORK STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Enhanced Agriculture Best Management Practice (BMP) Pilot Projects

Letters of Interest will be accepted through 5/8/2024 at 3:00pm from interested Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the Lake Champlain Watershed to provide services to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets to administer an Enhanced Agricultural Best Management Practice (BMP) Pilot Project program for agricultural non-point source abatement and control projects on farms in the Lake Champlain Watershed. Services must result in the implementation of cover crops and/or approved soil health practices that will reduce, abate, control, or prevent soil erosion/nonpoint source pollution originating from agricultural sources.

Eligible applicants are Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) who will be referred to as the “Project Sponsor” for the funding. The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking services from one of the eligible County SWCDs to provide administrative and technical services that result in the implementation of cover crops to protect the soil surface from the negative effects of rainfall and erosion during storm events. Agriculture is a major land use in the Lake Champlain watershed. Cover crops improve soil health, making it a very effective best management practice (BMP) for farmers. Addressing agricultural concerns has been a consideration of watershed planning efforts in the Lake Champlain Watershed for several years.

Availability of funding for this program is from Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget, which includes an appropriation for this purpose.

Letters of Interest must be sent to: Bethany Bzduch: NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee, 10B Airline Drive, Albany, NY 12235 or emailed to Bethnay.Bzduch@agriculture.ny.gov by 5/8/2024 at 3:00pm.

This notice was prepared and submitted by:

Bethany Bzduch, Executive Director

Soil and Water Conservation Committee

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235