Base Funding Program

Farmers statewide are benefiting from the free environmental assessments performed by their local Soil & Water Conservation Districts. Photo: Barb Silvestri, NYSSWCC

Overview

AEM Base Funding

In 2004 the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture, the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee and County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), established the AEM Base Funding Program as a means to provide non-competitive funding to all interested Districts to develop five-year county level strategic plans. Today, the AEM Base Funding program continues to provide SWCDs with non-competitive funding to implement those plans. The AEM Base Funding initiative enables all Districts to participate at the same funding level, making it possible for more farms to participate in AEM, increase conservation planning activities, and protect past investments through conservation plan updates and BMP evaluation statewide.

AEM is valuable to all of NY’s diverse agricultural industries including the Bays Farm in Ontario. County Photo: Barb Silvestri, NYSSWCC

Documents

AEM Base Year 6 (2010 – 2011) Program

Contract Policies | pdf

Funding Options and Annual Action Plan | pdf

Time Log | pdf | xls

Final Report Form | pdf | xls

Report Documents

Tier 1

Participating in AEM Tier 1 | pdf

Tier 2

Participating in AEM Tier 2 | pdf

AEM Tier 2 Summary Report | pdf | doc

Tier 3A – A cumulative summary report and checklist for each farm planned and are required deliverables for receiving payment.

Participating in AEM Tier 3A | pdf

Core Planning Elements and Progressive Planning Components | pdf | doc

Tier 3A Conservation Plan Content | pdf | doc

Tier 3 Conservation Plan Checklist | pdf | doc

Tier 4 – A cumulative summary report and checklist for each farm planned and are required deliverables for receiving payment.

Participating in AEM Tier 4 | pdf

Tier 4 BMP System Implementation Documentation Form | pdf | doc

Sample Tier 4 BMP System Implementation Documentation Form | pdf | doc

Tier 5 – A cumulative summary report and checklist for each farm planned and are required deliverables for receiving payment.

Participating in AEM Tier 5A | pdf

Participating in AEM Tier 5B | pdf

Tier 5B Conservation Plan Evaluation Requirements Checklist | pdf | doc

Tier 5B BMP Evaluation Requirements Checklist | pdf | doc

Districts across the state developed strategic plans for protecting watersheds both within and across county lines. Photo: Barb Silvestri, NYSSWCC

County AEM Strategic Plans

Top 10 Reasons for Updating your County AEM Strategy | pdf

County AEM Strategic Plans

Districts interested in making their Strategic Plans available to their constituents should email a version of their plan to Barb Silvestri for posting.