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YCCD
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The Chesapeake Bay ProgramIn 1985, the Chesapeake Bay Program began as a state and federally funded program to provide cost sharing and technical assistance to landowners and farmers with critical nutrient management and water quality problems. The program in Pennsylvania is administered by the County Conservation District at the local level. Planning and technical advice is provided by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and the conservation district technicians. Soil and water are the farmers’ most important resources. Poor water quality and the loss of soil nutrients directly affect the profitability of a farm operation. Installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) helps keep nutrients where they belong, control soil erosion and manure runoff, improve animal health and production and improve local water quality and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. All farmers and landowners located in York County are eligible for the Chesapeake Bay Program. Any farm operation with critical concerns may apply. Critical concerns are manure runoff, soil erosion, improper management of manure and fertilizer nutrients, streambank erosion and surface water runoff. Over the past 12 years, the York County Conservation District has worked with 74 farmers to install soil erosion control practices on over 15,100 acres. The practices include diversions, terraces, waterways and contour strips. Other practices such as underground outlets and roof water management direct clean water to stable outlets. Many manure storage structures have also been installed. A total of over $1.7 million cost-share dollars have been spent in York County to improve groundwater and surface water quality. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are specialized practices designed to control soil erosion, manure and nutrient runoff, handle animal wastes, establish vegetation and cover and manage the application of animal waste and fertilizer. The plan for your farm will include some combination of the following practices to achieve your nutrient management goals.
Contact the York County Conservation District for assistance. A District technician will come out to a farm to review the situation and help fill out forms. The application to join the program is then presented to the local District Board of Directors for acceptance. We will then start the planning process to find which BMPs are needed. |
