BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Vermont’s biggest contributor to water pollution is farms with animals. They say the state is failing to control phosphorus runoff from certain farms – meaning farmers need to alter their operations.
Managing livestock means a lot of manure and a constant fear of runoff, and Irasburg farmer Richard Nelson saw that fear come to life.
“We have been fined before. It’s hard to find a large farm in the state of Vermont that hasn’t been fined before,” said Nelson.
However, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Nelson says he’s spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on runoff prevention, but it’s hard to keep up with the cost of climate change.
He’s not the only farmer feeling the strain.
A 2022 UVM study shows nearly all Vermont farmers believe they know how to enhance their soil health – but just over half have the money to do so.
Orleans County Conservation District manager Sarah Damsell helps farmers tap into state and federal grants to get the work done. She says there’s a lot of money out there – sometimes more than farmers know.
“It’s a lack of coordination, and it’s a of at the local level, getting what the farm needs,” said Damsell.
But even with grants, Damsell says the repeated flooding means more farmers need more solutions – and even more money to fund them.
“With our increased rainfall, these manure pits need to be thought of differently, and we’re going to need more money on the table for that,” said Damsell.
On the state end, Water Quality Deputy Director Nina Gage says there are many resources for farmers in need – but there are limits.
“We do what we can to provide support where it’s requested and needed, but at the end of the day, we do have competitive programs due to budget limitations,” said Gage.
Back in Irasburg, Nelson is piecing together one million dollars to build out his manure pits.
He’s driven by regulatory duty and a personal commitment to a clean environment for all.
“It is not cheap to deliver a safe, clean food product in the United States, but it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
On the federal level, farmers are currently capped at $450,000 in funds under the farm bill.
Nelson and others in the agricultural community plan to push for higher funds under the new farm bill expected in 2025.