What to Expect During Enrollment
Enrollment Procedure & Steps
Enrolling in the FARM'N project is similar to enrollment in cost share programs, but with a few key differences. Instead of selecting a practice and agreeing to implement it, you are agreeing to work toward a management target. Just like you might work annually to improve milk production, under this program, you'll work annually to reduce Nitrogen surplus. What happens if you don't hit your target for reducing Nitrogen surplus? That's okay! You will get paid for the progress you did make. If things don't go to plan and you aren't able to reduce surplus Nitrogen at all - there isn't a penalty, but you also don't get a payment.
To begin the enrollment process, you will fill out an online form expressing interest in participating. You will then talk with the technical support team from Virginia Tech to discuss any questions you have about the program, to review options for reducing Nitrogen surplus, and to identify the documents you will need to provide as part of the application process. After you gather your documents, you'll work with the technical support team to fill out your application.
Summary of Enrollment Process:
The documentation needed for enrollment is largely information you may already have on hand, and includes details on feed, fertilizer, and animal purchases, land use and management (crop rotations, fertilizer application), and sales of milk, animals, crops, and other farm exports.
What to Expect During Participation
Selecting Applications
Program Scope:
Program enrollment targets are expected to vary depending on program interest, funding, payments made and other factors. Targets for each phase include:
Selection Criteria:
Applications will be ranked and selected primarily based on the following criteria:
Participating in the Project
Once your farm is selected to participate in the FARM'N project, you will be asked to sign a contract with VSDA. This contract stipulates that you will need to provide the necessary documentation to calculate your farm nitrogen surplus, and that VSDA will compensate you for improvements in farm nitrogen surplus.
The next step? Carry on a FARM'N. You'll meet with the technical support team quarterly to review your year-to-date mass balance, strategize about how you can adjust management to reduce your nitrogen surplus, and track your expected payments.
At the end of the year, you'll submit your required documents again, and the technical support team will calculate your improvement in nitrogen surplus and report that improvement to VSDA. You will receive a more detailed version of the report sent to VSDA, which will include your itemized nitrogen surplus calculations and your expected payment.