Conservation District offers assistance in developing agricultural plans

MIDDLEBURG — Any Snyder County farmer interested in having the necessary plans to follow PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations can apply to the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) to help fund the development or update of a Manure Management Plan (MMP), Nutrients. management plan (NMP), agricultural erosion and sedimentation plan (Ag. E&S) and/or NRCS type conservation plan.

All farms are required to develop and implement a written plan that covers their operation in accordance with current regulations in order to maintain compliance. It will also help farmers who are considering applying for financial assistance from SCCD, USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and other programs to improve their operations.

Eligibility for plan writing financial assistance programs varies. One program excludes concentrated animal operations (CAOs) and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), while others do not. Two programs cover only operations located in the Middle Creek or Mahantango Creek watershed in Snyder County. A third program stipulates only that the farmer has not participated in a prior DEP cost-sharing planning program. Check with SCCD for more program details.

Additional information is available at the SCCD office, 10541 Route 522, Middleburg or by contacting Lauren Cheran, Program Administrator, at 570-837-3000, extension 2 ([email protected]) or Barry Spangler, Ag. Conservation Technician , extension 5 ([email protected]).