Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP)

Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) is a grant from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets that funds Vermont farmers to purchase equipment that reduces agricultural waste runoff and improves water quality. CEAP covers up to 90% of equipment purchase and setup costs, with farmers providing a 10% match (which can be met through other grants).

Grants are available by equipment category: Precision Agriculture (up to $25,000), Conservation Tillage (up to $50,000), Cover Crops (up to $50,000), Liquid Waste Management (up to $70,000 per farmer or $150,000 per custom applicator), and Bedded Pack Management (up to $50,000). Eligible applicants are Vermont farms required to comply with Required Agricultural Practices and nonprofit organizations.

Each operation may submit one application per funding opportunity.

Grant funding is available for new or used innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, mitigate greenhouse gases, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure.

The Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) can fund up to 90% of the cost of the purchase and setup of approved equipment, not including shipping, freight, and/or travel fees. The grantee must provide the remaining 10% of project cost. Other grants can be used to fulfil this match requirement.

* Vermont Farms required to comply with the Required Agricultural Practices * Non-Profit Organizations Each individual farm operation, organization, or business entity may only submit one application per funding opportunity. To be eligible for funding through the Capital Equipment Assistance Program, equipment must have a clear water quality benefit and use of the equipment must post minimal water quality or erosion risks.

Manure tankers, manure pumps, manure spreaders, compost spreaders, tractors, skid steers, tires and any equipment that performs full width tillage, deep tillage or soil inversion are NOT eligible for CEAP.

Applications to CEAP should fall in one of the following categories: #### Precision Agriculture (grants up to $25,000) Purpose:To improve nutrient management planning and to reduce runoff on crops, hay and/or pasture through precision technology.

Examples of eligible equipment: * Central Tire Inflation control system * Precision Planting, Fertilizing or Feeding Equipment #### Conservation Tillage (grants up to $50,000) Purpose: To reduce the frequency or intensity of tillage operations. Examples of eligible equipment: * No Till Grain Drill for small grains or pastures/hayland #### Cover Crop (grants up to $50,000) Purpose: To increase or improve cover cropping implementation.

Examples of eligible equipment: * No Till Grain Drill for planting cover crop #### Liquid Waste Management (grants up to $70,000 per farmer or group of farmers; grants up to $150,000 per custom applicator) Purpose: To reduce nutrient runoff, improve efficiency, and follow Nutrient Management Plan recommendations when applying liquid waste.

Examples of eligible equipment: * Waste irrigation equipment * Dragline hoses and reels * Flowmeters, Manure Sensors Additional considerations:A GPS, Flow Meter & Display Unit must be used at all times with liquid waste equipment. Grantees must include cost of precision system in application if they need to purchase that system in order to meet this requirement.

#### Bedded Pack Management (grants up to $50,000) Purpose: To enable or improve intentional and effective management of bedded packs Examples of eligible equipment: * Bedded Pack Tillage Equipment Additional considerations: To be eligible for bedded pack management equipment through CEAP, grantees must commit to managing their existing bedded pack(s) according to AAFM Bedded Pack Best Management Practices (link to come).

A field visit from AAFM engineers will be required for bedded pack management projects prior to granting. #### Feed Management (grants up to $50,000) Purpose: To address silage leachate issues in feed bunks Examples of eligible equipment: * Balers/Wrappers to enable feed bunk decommissioning Additional considerations: Feed management equipment grants are intended as a least-cost alternative to an engineered sileage leachate project.

To be eligible/competitive, applicant must have an existing feed bunk with silage leachate concerns. Grantee will be required to no longer store loose or packed feed in that bunk if issued a grant. A field visit from AAFM engineers will be required for Feed Management projects prior to granting.

**NEW: 2027 Grant Applications will open June 1 and be due July 15, 2026. ** All grant applications must include the following REQUIRED components: * **Complete CEAP Application** * **Complete Questionnaire (Word)or Questionnaire (PDF)** * **1-2 reputable quote/s for the requested equipment. **Note that shipping or freight costs may be listed on your quote but are not eligible for financial assistance.

* Some types of application need additional documentation: * IF applying for equipment to reduce silage leachate or to improve bedded pack management, reach out to Emma. Eason@vermont. gov to request a site visit of your existing silos/bunkers or bedded pack.

* _**Letter(s) of Support**are optional and, if submitted,should be unbiased and add pertinent information about your application and its relevance to program goals. _ Please reach out for a printable PDF application. Paper/PDF applications may be submitted by email to AGR.

WaterQuality@vermont. gov or mailed to VAAFM CEAP Program, 116 State St Montpelier VT 05620. Please include ALL application components in the same email/envelope.

_Assistance is available for the application process. Please contact your local conservation districtor reach out to AGR. WaterQuality@Vermont.

govif you are in need of assistance. _ More questions? Review theFrequently Asked Questions before reaching out with additional questions via email toAGR.

WaterQuality@Vermont. gov UVM Factsheet on CEAP Equipment for Vegetable Farms: CEAP for Vermont Vegetable Farms Interested in a manure injection toolbar?

Make sure you choose a model that will work for you: Manure Injector Considerations ## Resources for CEAP Grant Recipients CEAP grant agreements have a length of 5 years, during which grantees are expected to maintain and continue using the equipment as described in the initial application. AAFM program staff will visit the grantee’s farm 1-2 times during this period to check on the equipment.

#### **CEAP recipients are required to report equipment usage for the first three (3) years of the grant. ** This reporting requirement exists so the CEAP program can demonstrate cost-effective investments in getting conservation practices on the ground and to improve water quality on farms.

CEAP is a competitive grant program, and a major consideration of the ranking and review process is the scale and impact of conservation committed to in the application. Recipients must report in the format specified in their grant agreement.

**Annual Acreage Reports:**Since recipients are selected to receive funds in part based on the expected conservation value of the equipment, the program requires recipients to meet their acreage commitments, as specified in their CEAP grant. These must be submitted accompanied by all corresponding maps.

If a recipient fails to meet their committed acreage they must submit an explanation or justification in written form alongside their report and maps.

CEAP Annual Acreage Report (Printable)CEAP Annual Acreage Report (Excel) For CEAP recipients who are also claiming practices for the Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) Program, they may fill out the following combined report: CEAP & FAP Combined Report (Printable)CEAP & FAP Combined Report (Excel) **Annual Narrative Reports:** For some equipment funded through CEAP, a narrative report is more appropriate to capture the impact of the equipment on farm management and water quality.

These must be submitted accompanied by at least one photo demonstrating the equipment’s use. CEAP Annual Narrative Report (Printable)CEAP Annual Narrative Report (Word) **Annual Usage Reports cover a calendar year and must be submitted annually by January 15th to the contact listed below. ** Email:AGR.

WaterQuality@Vermont. gov Mail: VAAFM CEAP Program, 116 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901