Agriculture Cost Share Program

N. C. Agriculture Cost Share Program is a state funded program to reduce the flow of sediments, nutrients, pesticides. and animal wastes into the state's waters. It provides incentive payments and cost-sharing funds to farmers to install Best Management Practices (BMP's) such as strip cropping, filter strips, water control structures, grassed waterways, and animal waste management systems.

The Cost Share funds may cover approximately 75% of the cost of installing these practices. Landowners and operators provide the other 25% of the cost. Applications are taken all through the year. Contracts for the program will be ranked and possibly approved at the Conservation’s October, January, April, May and June board meetings.

Ag Cost Share Tour

In March of each year, the Wilson County Soil and Water Conservation District holds the annual cost share tour. The supervisors and office staff first meet at the Ag. Center for a brief board meeting. Then, a tour is included to randomly-selected areas throughout the County where cost share practices have been applied.

For more information please call the office or visit the program’shttp://www.ncagr.gov/SWC/costshareprograms/ACSP/index.html .

Community Conservation Assistance Program

This program is to assist public and private landowners in the reduction of sedimentation, fertilizer, and other pollutants that run into surface, storm, and ground waters. The funds are available to create stream bank and shoreline protection, riparian buffers and stream restoration, backyard rain gardens, grassed swales and numerous other practices for those who qualify. The land must been developed and in use for three years to qualify.

For more information please call the office or visit the program’s website http://www.ncagr.gov/SWC/costshareprograms/CCAP/index.html.

Agricultural Water Resource Program

 The purpose of this program is to:

• Identify opportunities to increase water use to efficiency, availability and storage
• Implement best management practices to conserve and protect water resources
• increase water use efficiency
• Increase water storage and availability

For more information please call the office or visit the program's website http://www.ncagr.gov/SWC/costshareprograms/AgWRAP/index.html

0.200 Regulations

All animal waste operations that are above the minimum animal unit numbers set by the State were required to be certified by December 31, 1997. The District was responsible for providing technical and financial assistance to operators who must comply. In addition, the District inspects operations in order to ensure compliance. All animal production facilities that raise more than the minimum animal unit numbers set by the State are required to operate under an approved plan that is prepared by the District. In order to assure compliance, all operations are inspected at least two times every year. The District provides technical and financial assistance to producers who go out of business and wish to close down the waste storage lagoons.