Supporting Virginia Farmers and Clean Water

There are approximately 46,000 farms covering 8.2 million acres (32 percent) of Virginia. Agriculture is also the largest source of nutrient and sediment pollution reaching local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. While many well-operated farms employ sound conservation practices that protect water quality, a lack of funding and technical resources prevent many farmers from implementing such practices.

The Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share (VACS) Program is designed to offset the costs of implementing best management practices (BMPs), like installing stream fencing and planting forest buffers, on farmland around the state. In October 2018, the Coalition interviewed three farmers who have utilized the program and have seen both the financial and environmental benefits first hand. While this program is essential to cleaning up our local rivers and streams, the amount of money available for these projects varies from year to year and, in some areas of the state, the demand exceeds available funds.

The Coalition and its members in Virginia support funding the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share Program at the documented need of at least $100 million per year according to the Agricultural Needs Assessment and upholding consistent and adequate annual funding to ensure certainty. 

For more information on this program, please visit the Virginia Conservation Network.