Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) Program
Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) Program supports Vermont farms with perennial vegetation plantings and related infrastructure to reduce soil erosion and keep agricultural runoff from reaching waterbodies.
Funder: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets
Due Dates: Rolling (Applications due at least 60 days before planting)
Funding Amounts: Up to $50,000 per project; seeding payments of $350–$1,000 per acre; associated practices eligible for up to 90% cost share
Summary: Supports Vermont farms in establishing perennial vegetation and related infrastructure to reduce soil erosion and agricultural runoff reaching waterbodies.
Key Information: Applicants must control enrolled land through ownership or a lease covering the 10-year maintenance agreement.
Description
The Seeding and Filter Strip (SFS) Program, administered by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets (VAAFM), provides technical and financial assistance for long-term installation of perennial vegetation on Vermont farms. It supports filter strips, pasture and hayland plantings, grassed waterways, and infrastructure necessary for these practices. Its goal is to reduce soil erosion and agricultural runoff and prevent sediment and nutrients from reaching waterbodies.
Filter strips intercept overland flow between cropland and surface water or ditches. Grassed waterways convey surface water through vegetated channels at nonerosive velocities to stable outlets. Pasture and hayland plantings establish vegetation for hay harvesting or ruminant livestock grazing, with flood-damaged land reseeding supported in some cases. All practices installed under SFS can be harvested for hay.
