Agricultural Programs
The District is proud to be able to work with farmers and land managers in Franklin County in their fields, on their farmsteads, and out in the community!
Check out our Guide for Assistance for Agricultural Producers of Vermont
Do you want to work on a project with the District?
Reach out by sending us an email at: info@FranklinCountyNRCD.org
Nutrient Management Planning
The District partners with other Conservation Districts across Vermont and the University of Vermont - Extension to provide support to farmers and land managers in creating and maintaining Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs). This work is made possible by NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
Classes are held annually to create new NMPs and there is ongoing support for farmers throughout the update process.
Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) is the management of the amount, source, timing, and method of application (placement) of soil amendments and plant nutrients. Your NMP should help you: budget, supply, and conserve nutrients for plant production; properly utilize manure or organic byproducts as a plant nutrient source; minimize agricultural non-point source pollution of surface and groundwater resources; protect air quality by reducing nitrogen emissions and odors; and maintain or improve your soil health conditions. In Vermont, all certified small farm operations and all permitted medium and large farm operations managing manure, agricultural wastes, or fertilizer for use as nutrient sources are required to implement a field-by-field nutrient management plan that follows the USDA NRCS NMP Code 590.
Learn More
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Nutrient Management Planning - Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
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Soil Health and Nutrient Management Planning - UVM Extension: Northwest Crops and Soils Program
If you are interested in working with the District on your NMP, please contact us at: info@FranklinCountyNRCD.org or see the form below!
Navigate the RAPs
Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) are standards that all farms are required to use to manage their farms in order to reduce their impact on water quality. Some practices are universal and others are specific to the farm size.
The District can help you navigate the Vermont RAPs and help you understand how they apply to your land. Contact us, take the quiz below, or use the resources provided to learn more!
We use simple roadside signs and social media to raise awareness and appreciation for all the ways that farmers in Vermont build soil health, improve water quality, and create other benefits besides the food they grow. Our campaign was founded in Franklin County, but signs are available statewide.
There are lots more conservation practices, but these are ten we think everyone should be able to see and understand. Curious about others? Check out the guidebook Conservation in Vermont: Best management practices for farm and forest owners published by the VT Natural Resources Conservation Districts in 2013.
Learn more: SignsOfConservation.org
