Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost Share (VACS) Program on the Land Conservation Assistance Network

Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost Share (VACS) Program
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last updated: May 2019

The Virginia Agricultural Cost Share program supports using various practices in conservation planning to treat animal waste, cropland, pastureland and forested land. Some are paid for at a flat rate or straight per-acre rate. Others are cost-shared on a percentage basis up to 75 percent. In some cases, USDA also pays a percentage. In fact, the cost-share program's practices can often be funded by a combination of state and federal funds, reducing the landowner s expense to less than 30 percent of the total cost.

Because demand for cost-share assistance is great, districts support the implementation of only those plans which meet local water quality guidelines. Since all requests can't be satisfied, priority ranking of practices must be used to make sure money is distributed and spent wisely.

An individual may receive a maximum of $50,000 for cost-share, except for those utilizing animal waste (WP-4 and WP-4b) practices, who may receive up to $70,000. In any case, the VACS payment, combined with federal payments, cannot exceed 75 percent of the total eligible costs. Practices related to livestock exclusion (SL-6) will be funded at 100 percent of eligible costs for FY2014 (See the approved policy and procedures for additional detail.)

All practices in the program have been included because of their ability to improve or protect water quality. Many will also increase farm productivity by conserving soil and making wise use of other farm resources.

Contact your local soil and water conservation district to participate in the program.

Contact Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost Share (VACS) Program

REMINDER: This listing is a free service of LandCAN.
Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost Share (VACS) Program is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.