Farmland Retirement Program
Farmland Retirement Program supports Vermont farm buyout projects through property and conservation easement acquisition to retire land from agricultural production and protect water quality.
Funder: Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
Due Dates: See board calendar for associated application deadlines
Funding Amounts: Property or conservation easement acquisition, plus up to $20,000 in associated costs
Summary: Supports Vermont farm buyouts that remove land from agricultural production where continued farming harms water quality.
Key Information: Projects must retire all or part of the property from agricultural production; direct restoration costs are not covered.
Description
The Farmland Retirement Program is administered by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) with funding from Vermont’s Clean Water Fund. It supports buyouts of Vermont farms whose continued operation is detrimental to water quality, typically where correcting the problems is physically or financially infeasible. Funding can support acquisition of property title or a conservation easement, together with associated acquisition and stewardship costs.
Projects generally include restoration, although this funding source cannot pay for direct remediation or restoration work. Past projects have restored floodplain forests, wetlands, and other resources in partnership with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and The Nature Conservancy. The program seeks lasting benefits to Vermonters through deed restrictions or other mechanisms that secure the long-term effect of the investment.
