VRT Cost-Share Program Sign-Up

VRT Cost-Share Program Guidelines

About the program

IPM Institute’s Partnership for Ag Resource Management (PARM) project is offering assistance to enroll new customers in your precision variable rate technology (VRT) program. This incentive program aims to accelerate grower adoption of VRT - an ag retailer service that can be a win-win-win for the retailer, grower and region's water quality. Growers in the Blanchard, Cedar-Portage, Sandusky and Lower Maumee watersheds are potentially eligible. Ag retailers can offer growers $16 per acre, up to 100 acres, to cover the costs of a 3 year rotation in your program. This cost is used to offset the initial charges for the program as well as possibly the additional cost of VRT application, depending on your charges. Participating ag retailers are assigned an initial block of acres for each retail outlet on a first-come, first-serve basis to offer to growers. Additional acres are available as needed. Acres may be divided between as many growers as you wish but not to exceed 100 acres for an individual. Additional acres may be requested for new growers for up to 3 years or until the program has depleted available acres. This funding is made available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Grower eligibility

• Maximum of 100 acres per grower
• Must be new to Variable Rate Application
• The applied/sampled acres cannot be contracted in any other reimbursement programs such as EQIP.
• It is recommended that fertilizer applications be lightly incorporated with 48 hours or pending rainfall, whichever is shorter.

Retailer verification and reporting

Monthly report needs to be sent in by the 5th day of the following month and consists of a spreadsheet (click here to download) that will be furnished and includes:

• Retailer name
• Retailer individual contact/phone/email
• Retailer location
• Grower
• Date of soil sample
• Acres sampled
• County of sample
• Soil sample type used (Grid or Zone)
• Geo referenced location (e.g. 40.93753 - 82.75194)
• Expected reimbursement

Retailers will be expected to participate in a short fall/winter annual online survey. VRT application records may be spot checked if deemed necessary.

Payment

A lump payment will be sent to the ag retailer location that is referenced on the monthly report. Typically, payment is received within 30-60 days from monthly report due date.

You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been accepted for this program.

To check to see if your grower’s fields are located within the eligible watersheds, click here: http://arcg.is/1rKkeQy.

Download these program guidelines as a pdf here.