About
Partnership for Ag Resource Management (PARM) is offering a VRT incentive program through Great Lakes Conservation Connect, a partnership between American Farmland Trust, Utah State University, Wood County Soil and Water Conservation District in Ohio, PARM and Cornell Cooperative Extension. The cost-share is available for ag retailers to offer clients who rent farmland and are new to using VRT on their rented land. Growers within the Lake Erie Basin are eligible based on a first come, first served basis. Retailers will be reimbursed $16 per serviced acre for up to 150 acres for the 2019-2020 growing season. This cost is used to offset initial charges as well as additional costs of VRT application. This funding is made available through the Great Lakes Protection Fund.
Enroll Your Retail Facility HERE
Ag Retailers Enroll Your Clients HERE
Grower Eligibility
- Growers must watch a short five to seven-minute video to bolster communication between growers and landowners on topics that benefit each party. The video link will be sent via email upon enrollment approval. This is required before payment is issued.
- Growers are required to fill out a short post-program survey.
- The submitted acres must be rented or leased and cannot be enrolled in any other reimbursement programs such as EQIP.
- Maximum of 150 acres per grower.
- Must be new to VRT on the submitted rented/leased acres.
- It is recommended that fertilizer applications be lightly incorporated within 48 hours or pending rainfall, whichever is shorter.
- To check if a grower’s fields are located within the program area, click here.
Retailer Verification and Reporting
A report must be sent by the 5th day of the month once soil sampling is completed. The report will include a spreadsheet of the following:
- Retailer name
- Retailer individual contact/phone/email
- Retailer location
- Grower name
- Landowner name
- Date of soil sample
- Total number of acres sampled
- County of sample
- Soil sample type used (grid or zone)
- A single point of geo-reference for each field enrolled (e.g. 40.93753 – 82.75194)
- Expected reimbursement (calculated on Excel reporting sheet)
- A lump payment will be sent to the ag retailer location that is referenced on the report. Typically, payment is received within 30-60 days from report due date.
You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been accepted for this program.
Retailers will be expected to participate in a post-program online survey.
VRT application records may be spot checked if deemed necessary.
Contact
Caitlin Leahy
PARM project manager
(608) 232-1425 x 1021
caitlin@partnershipfarm.org
