The UDAF is now accepting grant applications for soil health equipment
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is now accepting applications for the 2023 Soil Health Equipment Grant to help farmers and ranchers access equipment to implement soil health practices.
“Implementing soil health practices such as cover crop planting and no-till farming has demonstrated to improve overall soil health, but many of these practices also require purchase of specialized equipment which can be expensive », said Tony Richards, UDAF’s soil health program manager. “In an effort to overcome some of these barriers and enable Utah farmers and to farmers the opportunity to try these practices, the Utah Soil Health Program offers grants to organizations that work directly with farmers and ranchers to help purchase equipment related to the implementation of soil health practices throughout the state.
Suitable equipment must be linked to the implementation of one of the following soil health principles:
1. Keep the ground covered
2. Minimize soil disturbance (physical or chemical)
3. Maximize biodiversity
4. Keep a living root as long as possible
5. Livestock integration.
Grants will be limited to a maximum of $50,000 with a minimum of 20% matching funds. The match requirement must be in the form of a financial contribution (no match in kind). All applications must have at least one conservation district as a tax partner. All grant reimbursement payments will be made to the conservation district. Projects and equipment must be in Utah.
All applications must be received by email or postmark by 18 August 2023. For more information, interested candidates can visit here or contact Tony Richards at tdrichards@utah.gov.
