Delmarva Chicken Association, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance have joined forces with chicken farmers to allocate $2 million towards cost-share programs aimed at expediting the adoption of best management practices in chicken farming across Maryland, Delaware and Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watersheds. These initiatives focus on enhancing riparian buffers, precision nutrient management, conservation drainage and litter management.
The three-year endeavor, which commenced accepting applications from chicken farmers for cost-share assistance this spring, is supported by a $997,327 grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) through its Chesapeake Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants Program, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, Delmarva Chicken Association, the state of Maryland, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance have pledged a combined $1 million in matching funds. DCA collaborates with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance to implement conservation measures on a farm-by-farm basis. The overarching goal of this initiative is to bolster the sustainability of the chicken community while enhancing water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.
Holly Porter, executive director of DCA, emphasizes the significance of collaborative efforts like these, stating, “Innovative, collaborative efforts like this one between the chicken community, environmental groups, and funding partners provide an opportunity to realize even more agricultural nutrient reductions, benefiting everyone in the watershed.”
Participating farmers may be eligible for up to 100 percent cost-share on conservation initiatives, including tree planting for visual buffers, large warm-season grasses for dust and odor reduction, pollinator plots and other farm-specific conservation practices.
Kate Fritz, CEO of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, remarks, “This effort builds upon the Alliance’s industry-led model of advancing conservation through cross-sector partnerships. By uniting the entire poultry supply chain to install conservation practices, we can work together to deliver positive environmental benefits, support farmers in achieving their conservation goals, and improve the efficiency and resiliency of our treasured Delmarva farms.”
Lisa Wool, executive director of the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, adds, “Through direct collaborative work with the farmers, we strive to have the industry thrive while protecting one of the last wild rivers, the Nanticoke. On-the-farm initiatives that keep our waterways clean on our environmentally sensitive peninsula are good for all inhabitants of the region and beyond. NWA is privileged to be a part of this and to facilitate these impactful efforts."
DCA is also collaborating with Delaware chicken growers to administer a $192,000 grant from the state of Delaware, matched with $203,000 of DCA funds, to operate a cost-share program funding the installation of vegetative environmental buffers on Delaware broiler farms.
For more information about the cost-share programs or to enroll a farm, visit dcachicken.com/green, call DCA at 302-856-9037, or email [email protected].
