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The Vermont Statutes Online



Title

06

:
Agriculture






Chapter

215

:
AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY






Subchapter

008
:
AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY TRAINING










 

§

4981. Agricultural Water Quality Training

(a) On or before

July 1, 2016, as part of the revisions of the required agricultural practices,

the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets shall adopt by rule requirements

for training classes or programs for owners or operators of small farms, medium

farms, or large farms certified or permitted under this chapter regarding:

(1) the

prevention of discharges, as that term is defined in 10 V.S.A. § 1251(3); and

(2) the

mitigation and management of stormwater runoff, as that term is defined in 10

V.S.A. § 1264, from farms.

(b) Any training

required under this section shall address:

(1) the existing

statutory and regulatory requirements for operation of a large, medium, or

small farm in the State;

(2) the management

practices and technical and financial resources available to assist in

compliance with statutory or regulatory agricultural requirements;

(3) the land

application of manure or nutrients, methods or techniques to minimize the

runoff of land-applied manure or nutrients to waters of the State; and

identification of weather or soil conditions that increase the risk of runoff

of land-applied manure or nutrients to waters of the State; and

(4) standards

required for nutrient management, including nutrient management planning.

(c) The

Secretary shall include the training required by this section as a condition of

a large farm permit, medium farm permit, or small farm certification required

under this chapter. The Secretary may phase in training requirements under this

section based on farm size, permit or certification category, or available

staffing. On or before July 1, 2017, the Secretary shall establish a schedule

by which all owners or operators of small farms, medium farms, or large farms

shall complete the training required by this section.

(d) The

Secretary may approve or authorize the training required by this section to be

conducted by other entities, including the University of Vermont Extension

Service and the natural resources conservation districts.

(e) The

Secretary shall not charge the owner or operator of a large, medium, or small

farm for the training required by this section. The Secretary shall pay for the

training required under this section from funds available to the Agency of

Agriculture, Food and Markets for water quality initiatives. (Added 2015, No.

64, § 15.)