Farmland Retirement Program
Farmland Retirement Program supports conservation organizations and public bodies in acquiring Vermont farmland or easements to retire agricultural uses that harm water quality and secure lasting benefits.
Funder: Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
Due Dates: Application deadlines: consult VHCB board calendar | Board meetings: December 11, 2026; January 27, March 25, May 19, and June 17, 2027
Funding Amounts: Property or conservation easement acquisition, plus up to $20,000 in associated costs
Summary: Supports retirement of Vermont farmland whose continued agricultural use harms water quality, securing lasting conservation benefits.
Key Information: Projects must retire all or part of the property from agriculture; direct remediation and restoration costs are excluded.
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 farms whose continued operation is detrimental to water quality, typically when fixing the problems is physically or financially infeasible. Funding can support acquisition of property title or a conservation easement to remove all or part of a property from agricultural production.
Projects generally also involve restoration, although this program does not cover direct restoration costs. Past projects have restored floodplain forest habitat, wetlands, and other resources with partners including the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and The Nature Conservancy. Projects must secure long-term benefits to Vermonters through deed restrictions or other lasting protections.
