STATE COST SHARE
The Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program and the Kentucky Soil Stewardship Program were created to help agricultural operations protect the soil and water resources of Kentucky and to implement their agriculture water quality plans. The program helps landowners address existing soil erosion, water quality and other environmental problems associated with their farming or woodland operation.
The 1994 Kentucky General Assembly established this financial and technical assistance program.
KRS 146.115 establishes that funds be administered by local conservation districts and the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission with priority given to animal waste-related problems, agricultural district participants, and to producers who have their Agriculture Water Quality plans on file with their local conservation districts. Funding comes from the Kentucky General Assembly through direct appropriations to the program from the Tobacco Settlement Funds and from funds provided by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
There are 6 main categories of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in which funding is available...
BMP Introduction and Objective
This practice will only be requested on sites that need animal waste storage, animal waste application practices, where pastures are overstocked with livestock, or when livestock are confined in buildings or lots. Please refer to the BMP Eligibility Criteria section (located in the manual) for more clarity on when this BMP should be requested.
The list of practices under the Livestock:
Animal Feeding Operations BMP’s focuses on solving soil erosion and water quality pollution problems resulting from concentrated livestock and/or the production, storage, or utilization of animal waste.
Note that many practices under this BMP requires a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) or a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) to be developed prior to submitting a cost share application. Producers may utilize the NRCS EQIP program to request cost share assistance in developing a CNMP or NMP, if applicable, prior to making a Kentucky Soil and Water State Cost Share application for these practices. To solve these animal waste related natural resource problems, it could require only one practice or multiple practices may be needed. It is recommended that changes in livestock management practices be fully evaluated prior to installing any cost share structural practices. Many times, changes in management may resolve the natural resource problems without the need of structural practices. Poor operation and maintenance of installed cost share practices will also result in the failure of the practice to solve the natural resource problem. This should be reviewed and discussed with cost share applicants prior to application.
All practices should be consistent with recommendations as part of a Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act plan and be installed according to approved engineering designs or job sheet recommendations.
Current Eligible Practices That May Be Requested Under This BMP Category:
Animal Mortality Facility (316)
Compost Facility (317)
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan - Written (CNMP) (102)
Critical Area (342)
Diversion (362)
Fence (382)
Filter Strip (393)
Grade Stabilization Structure (410)
Grassed Waterway (412)
Heavy Use Area (561)
*As a companion practice to a Waste Storage Facility (313)
*Heavy Use Area around Watering Facilities
*Heavy Use Area crossing for grassed waterway
Lined Waterway or Outlet (468)
Livestock Pipeline (516)
Mulching (484)
Nutrient Management (590)
*Animal waste application ONLY
Nutrient Management Plan – Written (104)
Riparian Forest Buffer (391)
Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)
Roof Runoff Structure (558)
Roofs and Covers (367)
Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580)
Stream Crossing (578)
Subsurface Drain (606)
Trails and Walkways (575)
Tree and Shrub Establishment (612)
Tree and Shrub Site Preparation (490)
Underground Outlet (620)
Vegetative Treatment Area (635)
Waste Facility Closure (360)
Waste Storage Facility (313)
Waste Transfer (634)
Waste Treatment Lagoon (359)
Water and Sediment Control Basin (638)
Watering Facility (614)
*Can only be requested to remove animals from contaminated water source or to improve waste management
BMP Introduction and Objective
The Pastureland BMP is designed to address natural resource problems that are occurring on pastureland acres. The list of practices under the Livestock: Pastureland BMP’s focuses on solving soil erosion and water quality pollution problems resulting from livestock grazing on these acres. This could require only one practice component, or multiple practice components may be needed to solve the soil and water related concern(s). It is recommended that changes in land management and/or stocking rates be fully evaluated prior to installing any cost share practices. Often, changes in the land management may resolve the natural resource problem(s) without the need for structural practices. Poor operation and maintenance of installed cost share practices will also result in the failure of the practice to solve the natural resource problem. This should be reviewed and discussed with cost share applicants. Please refer to the BMP Eligibility Criteria section to clarify when to request this BMP. This practice should not be requested for assistance with confined livestock feeding operations or where livestock stocking rates are significantly greater than forage production potential. Conservation Practices needed to address issues with concentrated livestock and/or animal waste, that does not meet the Pastureland BMP Eligibility Criteria requirements, should be requested under the Livestock: Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) BMP practice.
All practices should be consistent with recommendations as part of a Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act plan and be installed according to approved engineering designs or job sheet recommendations.
Current Eligible Practices That May Be Requested Under This BMP Category:
Critical Area (342)
Diversion (362)
Fence (382)
Forage and Biomass Planting (512)
Grade Stabilization Structure (410)
Grassed Waterway (412)
Heavy Use Area (561)
*Concrete Winter Feeding Area with hay feeding rack
*Rock and Geotextile
Winter Feeding Pad
*Concrete Winter Feeding Pad
*Heavy Use Area around Watering Facilities and Gate Openings
*Heavy Use Area crossing for grassed waterway
Lined Waterway and Outlet (468)
Livestock Pipeline (516)
Mulching (484)
Pond (378)
Riparian Forest Buffer (391)
Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)
Spring Development (574)
Stream and Shoreline Protection (580)
Stream Crossing (578)
Subsurface Drain (606)
Trails and Walkways (575)
Tree and Shrub Establishment (612)
Tree and Shrub Site Preparation (490)
Underground Outlet (620)
Vegetative Treatment Area (635)
Water and Sediment Control Basin (638)
Watering Facility (614)
Water Well (642)
BMP Introduction and Objective
This practice will only be requested on lands planted in annual crops, hay land acres, meadow areas, or other open areas that are in grasses, legumes, or forbs and are not used for pastureland. Cropland BMP’s focuses on solving soil erosion and water quality pollution problems resulting from cropland runoff. This could require only one practice, or multiple practices may be needed to solve the soil and water related concern(s). Please refer to the BMP Eligibility Criteria for more clarity on when this BMP should be requested. The list of practices under the Cropland BMP’s focuses on solving water quality pollution problems resulting from soil erosion or nutrient runoff associated with cropland areas. Note: some of the practices under this BMP may require a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) to be developed prior to the application of the conservation practices. Producers may also utilize the NRCS EQIP program to request cost share assistance in developing a NMP, if applicable, prior to making a Kentucky Soil and Water State cost share application for these identified practices.
All practices should be consistent with recommendations as part of a Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act plan and be installed according to approved engineering designs or job sheet recommendations.
Current Eligible Practices That May Be Requested Under This BMP Category:
Cover Crop (340)
Critical Area (342)
*Practice Vegetation Establishment ONLY
Diversion (362)
Field Border (386)
Filter Strip (393)
Forage and Biomass Planting (512)
Grade Stabilization Structure (410)
Grassed Waterway (412)
Lined Waterway or Outlet (468)
Mulching (484)
Nutrient Management (590)
*Inorganic fertilizer ONLY
Nutrient Management Plan (104)
Residue and Tillage (329)
*Conversion to no-till or strip-tillage
Riparian Forest Buffer (391)
Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)
Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580)
Stream Crossing (578)
Subsurface Drain (606)
Terrace (600)
Tree and Shrub Establishment (612)
Tree and Shrub Site Preparation (490)
Underground Outlet (620)
Water and Sediment Control Basin (638)
BMP Introduction and Objective
This practice should only be requested on sites with soil or water natural resource problems that are occurring in woodland areas, harvested forestland sites, recently tree planted sites, early successional wooded sites, and any other non-pastured forested sites. BMP practices needed in woodland areas that are currently accessed by livestock should be requested under the Livestock: Pastureland BMP practice or Livestock: Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) BMP practice. Please refer to the BMP Eligibility Criteria under this practice for more clarity on when to request this BMP. Solving the resource concern(s) could require only one practice or multiple practices may be needed to solve the soil and water related issue(s).
All practices should be consistent with recommendations as part of a Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act plan and be installed according to approved engineering designs or job sheet recommendations.
Current Eligible Practices That May Be Requested Under This BMP Category:
Brush Management (314)
Critical Area (342)
Diversion (362)
Forest Management Plan (106)
Forest Stand Improvement (666)
Grade Stabilization Structure (410)
Grassed Waterway (412)
Heavy Use Area (561)
Lined Waterway or Outlet (468)
Mulching (484)
Riparian Forest Buffer (391)
Road/Trail/Landing Closure and Treatment (654)
Stream Crossing (578)
Tree and Shrub Establishment (612)
Tree and Shrub Site Preparation (490)
Underground Outlet (620)
Water and Sediment Control Basin (638)
Each producer may only apply for cost share assistance in one of these BMP categories each program year (ex. Pastureland). However, they may apply for multiple practices within a category (ex. heavy use area and fencing).
How to Apply
The Soil and Water Conservation Commission voted in 2012 to have continuous sign ups so applications may be turned in at any time. Applications are reviewed and approvals are made approximately every 6 months on the state level by the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission at the Kentucky Division of Conservation in Frankfort. Approval of applications is based on a statewide ranking criteria and the availability of funds. Cost share rates are a maximum of 60 to 75 percent of the actual installation cost of the practice not to exceed $7,500 per year for agronomic practices or $20,000 per year for animal waste practices.
To apply, a State Cost Share Application must be filled out and submitted to the Butler County Conservation District Board. Once approved by the Board at their monthly meeting, the application will then be submitted to the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission to be evaluated and approved/denied for funding at their next scheduled cutoff date. You may print and return the linked application, or you may fill out an application in the office.
Note: A current Ag Water Quality Plan is required to apply for Kentucky State Cost Share funding. Any applicant that does not have an AWQP or their plan is out of date, then they are automatically ineligible by the program requirements. "Up to date" and "current" means that your plan has been updated since the most recent revision of the State Ag Water Quality Plan. For more information on Ag Water Quality Plans go to our Ag Water Quality Plan tab under programs.
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