Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 12, 2014
Contact: Julie Buchanan, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 804-786-2292, julie.buchanan@dcr.virginia.gov
Grants awarded for agricultural resource management plans
RICHMOND — Five grants will be awarded to develop resource management plans for more than 47,000 acres of Virginia farmland in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Resource management plans are integral to Virginia’s strategy to clean up rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to expanding farmers’ use of conservation practices, the program will provide better data and tracking capability for the practices in place.
Funding for the contracts has been allocated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program. The grant recipients responded to a Sept. 1 request for proposals from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Details of each award:
| Grant recipient | Targeted number of plans | Targeted number of acres | Award amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tellus Agronomics LLC | 225 | 36,264 | $362,640 |
| James Moneymaker | 17 | 2,325 | $23,250 |
| Water Stewardship Inc. | 15 | 2,125 | $21,250 |
| Mattaponi Resources Inc. | 11 | 4,050 | $40,500 |
| Ag Management Services Inc. | 6 | 2,500 | $25,000 |
| TOTAL | 274 | 47,264 | $472,640 |
Under a resource management plan, farmers can maximize the benefits of conservation practices in order to protect water quality and improve efficiency and profitability on the farm. Once a resource management plan is approved and fully implemented, the property is deemed to be in compliance with state nutrient and sediment water quality regulations for nine years.
Resource management plans must contain: nutrient management and soil conservation plans; a 35-foot forested or vegetative buffer adjacent to perennial streams on crop or hay land; and provisions to exclude livestock from perennial streams on pasture, as well as hardened stream crossings and alternative watering systems.
Similar to established programs for agricultural cost-share and natural-resource conservation, participation in the resource management program is voluntary. Regulations regarding the plans became effective July 1, 2014. In August, Gov. Terry McAuliffe launched the program at a farm in the Shenandoah Valley.
The program is administered by DCR, in partnership with Virginia’s 47 Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
An additional $160,000 is available through districts to fund the development of additional resource management plans in all regions of the state. Landowners who are interested in this funding should contact their local district office.
For more information about resource management plans, go to www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/rmp.
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