Vermont Pay for Performance Program
Forecasted
Vermont Pay for Performance Program supports Vermont farmers carrying out conservation work and reducing phosphorus losses from agricultural fields to improve water quality and target resources where they matter most.
Funder: Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Planning: $50 per field (up to $3,000) for data entry; practice payments up to $10,000; additional performance payments in implementation
Summary: The program pays Vermont farms for conservation work and reductions in phosphorus losses from agricultural fields.
Key Information: Applicants need an updated Nutrient Management Plan, soil tests, and manure tests before applying.
Description
The Vermont Pay for Performance Program is run by the Water Quality Division of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. It supports Vermont farmers in reducing phosphorus losses from agricultural fields. Unlike programs that pay only toward the cost of installing conservation practices, it also compensates farms for the measured outcomes of that work. The agency aims to direct water-quality resources toward farms and fields where reductions can have the greatest impact.
The program begins with a planning phase and continues into implementation. Farmers work with a technical assistance provider to enter management data into FarmPREP, a web application that models phosphorus-loss reductions across their operations. The results help inform conservation decisions and future payment estimates.
