Cost-Share
The Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District offers numerous services to agricultural operations, both large and small. In an effort to improve the Chesapeake Bay, we have several New cost-share Tax Credit practices available for agriculture producers to help improve the Bay.
To learn more about the cost-share program, take a look at DCR's Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices YouTube Channel.
Overview
Cost-Share Programs are administered by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) through local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). The goal of these cost-share programs is to improve water quality in our streams, rivers, and the nearby Chesapeake Bay. As an incentive, cost-share assistance is offered to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs). Participation in these programs is voluntary, and we offer our expertise at no cost. Funding is based on what our District has available and how your practice ranks compared to other applications we receive; though funding is not guaranteed, it never hurts to ask!
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If you have any questions or want to participate in any of our cost-share program, call 571-379-7514 or e-mail:
Duane Mohr - duanemohr@pwswcd.org
Seth Hatfield - sethhatfield@pwswcd.org
Alex Murphy - alexmurphy@pwswcd.org
Nicole Slazinski - nicoleethier@pwswcd.org
Requirements
In order to participate in any of our cost-share programs, you must meet the following criteria:
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Property has/had a water quality concern (e.g. livestock has/had access to a waterway, no manure storage system, no cover crops when main crops aren’t growing)
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Property must have at least 5 consecutive acres
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Property has been in agriculture production for the past 3 years (this was previously 5 years)
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Property has produced at least $1,000 worth of agriculture products/year (agriculture products include crops, hay, and livestock, such as cattle, equine, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, etc. Horses or other livestock solely for personal use are not considered as agriculture products.)
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*Property must be located in Prince William County.
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*If you are located outside of Prince William County, you can still participate in the cost-share program; you’ll just need to contact your county's conservation district. Click here to find your District!
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Practices FR-1 (Aforrestation of crop, Hay, and Pasture Land), FR-3 (Woodland Buffer Filter Area), SL-15A (SL-15A: Continuous High Residue Minimal Soil Disturbance Tillage System) and SL-15B (Continuous No-Till Forage Production System) have slightly different criteria requirements. For more information, see Practices Available below.
Process
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A conservation plan is written for the property, or the conservation plan is revised if it is out of date (conservation plans are good for 3 years). The plan will get approved by the District's Board of Director's (BOD). The conservation plan will then be reviewed with the landowner who will sign it to verify they have reviewed it.
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If the landowner is eligible for the cost-share program and wants to participate, the landowner will sign and submit Form I as well as a W-9 and the Cooperators Self-Certification of Eligibility.
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Cost-estimates and other information pertaining to the project are pulled together for the practice. The practice is then presented to the Technical Review Committee (TRC) for review, who will then submit the practice to the Board (BOD) for final approval.
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The TRC and BOD typically meet once a month
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Once the practice is approved by the BOD, the landowner will install the practice either by hiring a contractor and/or completing the practice on his/her own. The District must meet with any contractors before construction can begin. The District will provide technical assistance throughout the process.
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If the estimated costs for one of the components is greater than $50,000, the landowner is responsible for obtaining 3 bids from different contractors (i.e. if the estimated cost for installing just the buffer fencing is greater than $50,000, the landowner would need 3 bids)
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When construction begins, the District must be notified (preferably ahead of time and not the day of). The District will need to do site visits during construction to verify the standards are being followed correctly (e.g. the right amount and size of stones are being installed)
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Itemized and dated bills, as well as tickets for concrete, stones, etc., must be kept for all the expenses incurred for the practice. These bills/tickets must be submitted to the District at the completion of the practice for review. If the landowner will be installing the practice themselves, then the landowner needs to keep track of his/her time (hours) of labor.
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Upon practice completion, District employees will visit the site to certify that the practice has been installed to specifications.
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Payment is made based upon itemized bills and approved cost-share, whichever is less. The landowner will sign Part III of the contract, committing to maintain the practice for its lifespan, and will then receive the cost-share check.
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The owner is responsible for maintenance of the full system and allowing access to District personnel for random spot checks for the lifespan of the practice.
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For more details on the cost-share process, click here.
Spotlight: Our most common practices
Before getting into the practices that are available to farmers, we want to highlight our more popular practices. There are so many Cost-Share practices available to meet a wide variety of environmental protection needs for farmers, where do you begin?
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Though we can't highlight all of them, here are a few of our more common practices that might work for your farm!
SL-6N (Narrow buffers) & SL-6W (Wide buffers): Stream Exclusion and Grazing Land Management
Our most popular cost-share practices! These practices are for farmers who want to fence their livestock out of waterways.
Key Notes:​
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This practice will cover the costs (as needed) of:
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stream exclusion fencing
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alternative water source(s) (e.g. frost free water trough)
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pipeline
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stream crossing
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interior fencing to improve the rotational grazing system
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fence charger (for electric fencing)
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etc.
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All waterways must be fenced out
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Must meet the minimum requirements
Lifespan:​
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10 or 15 Years
Rates:​
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For Buffers 10'-25' (SL-6N):
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10 Years - 60% of the costs
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15 Years - 65% of the costs
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For Buffers 25'-35' (SL-6N):
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10 Years - 70% of the costs
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15 Years - 75% of the costs
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For Buffers 35'-50' (SL-6W):
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10 Years - 85% of the costs + $80/acre in buffer/year (max. of 15 acres in buffer)​
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15 Years - 90% of the costs + $80/acre in buffer/year (max. of 15 acres in buffer)
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For Buffers 50'+ (SL-6W):
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10 Years - 95% of the costs + $80/acre in buffer/year (max. of 15 acres in buffer)​
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15 Years - 100% of the costs + $80/acre in buffer/year (max. of 15 acres in buffer)
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For more information on SL-6N (narrow buffers; 10-35'), click here.​
For more information on SL-6W (wide buffers; 35-50'+), click here.​
CCI-SL-6N (Narrow buffers) & CCI-SL-6W (Wide buffers): Stream Exclusion Maintenance
These practices are for farmers who ALREADY fenced their livestock out of waterways. One of our most straight forward practices!
Key Notes:
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Fencing does not need to meet specs. as in other cost-share programs, but it must be functional in keeping livestock out of waterways
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Livestock must be fenced out from ALL waterways on the property
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After the practice expires, you can re-enroll
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Must meet the minimum requirements
Lifespan:​
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5 years
Rates:​​
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CCI-SL-6N only (narrow buffers; 10-35'): $0.75/linear foot of streambank protected
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CCI-SL-6W only (wide buffers; 35-50'+): $1.25/linear foot of streambank protected​
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For both practices:
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$1,000/watering system (most farms in Prince William County only have 1)​
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$250/water trough (only for troughs in fields that are adjacent to waterways)
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$500/stream crossing
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For more information on CCI-SL-6N (narrow buffers; 10-35'), click here.​
For more information on CCI-SL-6W (wide buffers; 35-50'+), click here.​
SL-15A: Continuous High Residue Minimal Soil Disturbance Tillage System
This practice is for farmers who want to implement continuous high residue minimal soil disturbance tillage systems on their farms.
Key Notes:
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Only for fields converting from a minimum or conventional tillage
system to a high residue minimal soil disturbance tillage system -
All fields must have been in cropland 2 out of the past 5 years
(pastures and hayland are not eligible)
Lifespan:​
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5 years
Rates:​
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$70/acre (one-time payment)
For more information on this practice, click here.​
CCI-CNT: Long Term Continuous No-Till Planting Systems
This practice is for farmers who are already using continues no-till planting systems.
Key Notes:
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Eligible land must be managed under a continuous no-till planting system that results in a minimum of 60% residue cover on all of the enrolled acres and must be maintained for the lifespan of the practice.
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All fields must have been in cropland 2 out of the past 5 years (pastures and hayland are not eligible)
Lifespan:​
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5 years
Rates:​
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$5/acre/year (one-time payment of $5/acre x # of acres x 5 years)
For more information on this practice, click here.​
SL-8B: Small Grain and Mixed Cover Crop for Nutrient Management and Residue Management
This practice is for for planting cover crops when crops are not growing; cover crops cannot be harvested
Key Notes:​
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No nutrients from any sources are allowed between the harvesting of the previous crop and March 1 of the next calendar year. No nutrients are allowed at planting.
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The cover crop must be killed using mechanical or chemical means or by grazing no earlier than March 15 and no later than June 1. The cover crop residue may be left on the field for conservation purposes or the cover crop or its residue may be tilled
under.
Lifespan:​
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1 year
Rates:​
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$40/acre
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Bonus payments:
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$30/acre if planted before October 25
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$20/acre if a rye cultivar is planted. Acceptable rye cultivars include: 6250 Abruzzi, Abruzzi, Dura, Early Grazer, Elbon, Grazer, Graze Master, Paster, Ryman, Virginia Abruzzi, Wheeler, Wintergrazer 70, Winterking, or any other indeterminate growth tetraploid rye cultivar
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$10/acre for all applicants that plant pure stands of winter triticale
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$10/acre for cover corps that are killed using mechanical, chemical, or grazing means between May 1-June 1. (Planting directly into the growing cover crop prior to termination is allowed.)
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For more information on this practice, click here.​
SL-8H: Harvestable Cover Crop
This practice is for for planting cover crops when crops are not growing; cover crops can be harvested
Key Notes:​
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No nutrients from any source are allowed between the harvesting of the previous crop and March 1 of the next calendar year, except that use of manure (see link below for more information on requirements and restrictions for applying manure).
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No nutrients can be applied at planting
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Harvesting for hay, haylage, silage, grain, or seed is permitted after March 14
Lifespan:​
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1 year
Rates:​​
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$20/acre OR
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$30/acre if harvested for seed/grain ONLY; all remaining residue must remain in the field (straw cannot be baled).
For more information on this practice, click here.​
Practices Available
Before any cost-share practice can be recommended for your farm, you must first meet with the District and have an updated conservation plan (conservation plans are good for 3 years). The below list is to give you an idea of the different practices that are available this program year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025). Use the arrows below the table to see other practices.
There are a variety of cost-share practices available for:
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For more information on a practice, click on the hyperlink. A new tab/window will open; you may have to refresh the page to see all of the details on that practice.
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The lifespan for most practices begins on Jan. 1 of the calendar year following the date of certification of completion.
For information on the meaning of the different Practice Numbers, see Common Acronyms below.
Livestock
Practice Number | Practice Name | Brief Description | Lifespan | Link (for more information) |
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CCI-FRB-1 | Forested Riparian Buffer Maintenance Practice | *For maintaining an existing forested riparian buffer | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-FRB-1_2025.pdf |
CCI-HRB-1 | Herbaceous Riparian Buffer Maintenance Practice | *For maintaining an existing herbaceous riparian buffer | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-HRB-1_2025.pdf |
CCI-SE-1 | Stream Exclusion - Maintenance Practice | *For maintaining existing fencing that exclude livestock from waterways | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-SE-1_2025.pdf |
CCI-SL-6N | Stream Exclusion with Narrow Width Buffer - Maintenance Practice (includes a watering system) | *For maintaining existing exclusion fencing and associated livestock/stream crossings and watering systems. Vegetated buffers are 10-35' wide. | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-SL-6N_2025pdf |
*Land actively enrolled under another cost-share practice is not eligible
Hayland and/or Crops
Practice Number | Practice Name | Brief Description | Lifespan | Link (for more information) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CCI-CNT | Long Term Continuous No-Till Planting system | For crop land that practices long term continuous no-till planting systems (Note: Land actively enrolled in SL-15A is not eligible) | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-CNT_2025.pdf |
CCI-FRB-1 | Forested Riparian Buffer Maintenance Practice | *For maintaining an existing forested riparian buffer | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-FRB-1_2025.pdf |
CCI-HRB-1 | Herbaceous Riparian Buffer Maintenance Practice | *For maintaining an existing herbaceous riparian buffer | 5 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/CCI-HRB-1_2025.pdf |
FR-1 | Afforestation of Crop, Hay and Pasture Land | For converting land previously in pasture, hay, or crops into permanent forest. | 10 or 15 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/FR-1_2025.pdf |
*Land actively enrolled under another cost-share practice is not eligible
Practice Number | Practice Name | Brief Description | Lifespan | Link (for more information) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WQ-12 | Roof Runoff Management System | For structures to collect, control, convey, and or capture roof runoff and route it away from sensitive areas | 10 years | http://casdsis.dcr.virginia.gov/htdocs/agbmpman/BMPs/WQ-12_2025.pdf |
Important Documents
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* W-9 Note: the entity listed under Line 1 is who will receive the cost-share payment
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Bid Contract Form (must be used when the "the cost of any one component of a VACS contract is estimated to equal or exceed a billable expense of $50,000. For contracts where the estimated billable expense for each component is less than $50,000, the Bid Process is not required.")
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* documents required for signing up
FAQ
I just bought a farm that’s been in agriculture production for more than 3 years, but I’m new to the area. Can I participate in the cost-share program?
Yes, the criteria is based on the property, not the landowner.
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My property in Prince William County is zoned A-1. I’ve lived on my property for several years and want to start a small farm. Do I qualify for the cost-share program?
No. Cost-share requirements are based on the property, not the landowner. The property has to be in agriculture production for the past 3 consecutive years in order to qualify.
I don't understand how the lifespan of a practice works. Can you explain it?
The lifespan for most practices begins on Jan. 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year of certification of completion. For example, if a practice was completed in March 2020 and has a 5 year lifespan, the lifespan of the practice would start on January 1 2021 and end on December 31, 2025.
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My practice has a 10 year lifespan. What happens if I move within the lifespan?
As you are the one who received the cost-share payment, you are responsible for the practice throughout its lifespan, even if you no longer own the property. HOWEVER, we have a form available to transfer the responsibility from you to the new landowners. Please notify the District prior to moving for further assistance.
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My practice has multiple components. Can I get reimbursed as I complete each component?
No. The entire practice must be completed and verified before payment is submitted
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How do I choose a contractor?
Though we cannot recommend a contractor, we do have a list of contractors in the area with their contact information. Contact us and we can give you a copy of the list. You can also use a contractor not on our list, they just have to be licensed in Virginia.
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I started construction for my practice before it went through the approval process. Will that affect my application?
Yes. You may not get reimbursed for anything installed prior to approval. Starting a practice before it’s approved could void your application.
What if I sign-up for the cost-share program, my practice gets approved by the board, but I later change my mind and don’t want to participate?
No problem! You can drop out at any time. The only time you are in a contract is when you receive and cash your cost-share check. If you change your mind and want to participate after you canceled, you’ll have to go through the approval process again. Any work done prior to canceling your practice cannot be reimbursed through the cost-share program.
I have animals in the creek, but I don’t want to participate in the cost-share program because even with the reimbursement, the up-front costs are too high for us. Will I get in trouble?
First of all, we are non-regulatory. That means if we see an environmental concern, we want to work with you at resolving it.
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As for the funding, DEQ has a Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan available at 0% interest. To learn more about the loan program or for an application, please visit: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/clean-water-financing-and-assistance/virginia-clean-water-revolving-loan-fund-vcwrlf/agricultural-bmp.
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I hired a contractor and I want to make sure the practice is installed correctly. What do I do?
Prior to construction, it is a good idea that you and your contractor have a written agreement that the practice will be installed according to our specifications. We also request a meeting with the contractor before construction begins to go over these specifications and make sure everyone is on the same page.
I want to go above and beyond the specifications. Is that ok?
Of course it’s ok! Just keep in mind that you will only be reimbursed for the minimum amount to make your practice succeed. For example, if one water trough can cover multiple fields, but you want to install a water trough in each field, you will only receive cost-share for the one water trough.
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I went through all of my receipts and it came to less than what you estimated. Yay! Does that mean I'll get more money?
For practices where you get a percentage back based on your expenses, you will either get what we estimated or whatever you actually spent, whichever is lower. For example, let's say you participated in a practice where you get 75% cost-share based on your expenses. We estimated the practice would cost you $20,000 to install. However, you only spent $14,000. The cost-share you would receive would be based on the $14,000 (which would come out to $10,500). We do our best to fairly estimate costs ahead of time that incorporate the most cost-effective solutions in solving your water quality concerns. We will work with you every step of the way.
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What if a component of my practice is not installed to specs. when you do a final inspection?
Either you or your contractor will need to fix it before we can certify the practice as complete. It is always a good idea that you and your contractor have a written agreement that the practice will be installed according to our specifications.
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I want to participate in one of the SL-6 practices. I understand that SL-6N is for buffers that are less than 35’ and SL-6W is for buffers that are greater than 35’. If I have a buffer that has some areas that are 25’ and the rest is over 35’, would I sign up for SL-6N or SL-6W?
SL-6N. All buffers have to be greater than 35’ in order to participate in SL-6W.
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What happens if there is a violation cited during a spot-check?
We will let you know and work with you on correcting the violation. We want to see the practice succeed, so the last thing we want to do is ask for funding back. If the violation will not be corrected, or if the practice is destroyed, funding will need to be returned on a pro-rata basis.
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Is cost-share considered taxable income?
Yes. That is one of the main reasons why we need a W-9 when you sign up.
I have questions on how to do my taxes with cost-share. Can the District assist me?
No. The District cannot provide any tax advice. Please consult with your tax adviser.
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If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
Common Acronyms
Acronyms can be confusing, and the cost-share program has plenty of them! Here’s a list of common acronyms you’ll see:
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BMP – Best Management Practice (any practice that helps protect the soil and water)
BOD - District Board of Directors
CCI – Continuing Conservation Initiative
CNT – Continuous No-Till
CS – Cost-Share
DCR – Department of Conservation and Recreation (state)
DEQ – Department of Environmental Quality (state)
FP – Feeding Pad
FR – Forestry
FRB – Forested Riparian Buffer
HRB – Herbacous Riparian Buffer
LC – Livestock, Confined
LL – Loafing Lot
N – Narrow (buffers that are <35’)
NM – Nutrient Management
NMP – Nutrient Management Plan
SE – Shoreline Erosion
SF – Seasonal Feeding Facility
SL – Soil Loss
SWCD – Soil and Water Conservation District (there are 47 districts that cover all agriculture land in Virginia)
TC – Tax-Credit
TRC - Technical Review Committee
VACS – Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost-Share
W – Wide (buffers that are >35’)
WP – Water Protection
WQ – Water Quality
