NCTFA Climate Smart Ag Practices for Applicants 2025

	A	B	C
1	Climate Smart Ag and Forestry Practices
2			These practices and subpractices are eligible for funding through the New CT Farmer Alliance's Climate Smart Ag and Forestry Grant Program. All of the following practices are also covered by NRCS activities list except for starred* practices. Contact nctfaclimate@gmail.com with any questions!
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4	Category	Practice	Subpractice
5	Brush Management	Brush management to improve wildlife habitat
6	Herbaceous Weed Treatment	Herbaceous weed treatment to create desired plant communities consistent with the ecological site
7	Solar power	Solar panels on previously existing farm infrastructure (not primary farm residence) to power on farm electricity needs	Cost of equipment and installation*
8	Soil Health	Conservation cover	Conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects
9			Establish Monarch butterfly habitat
10			Wildlife habitat for nesting and brooding in non-cropped areas
11		Conservation crop rotation	Resource conserving crop rotation
12			Improved resource conserving crop rotation
13			Soil health crop rotation
14			Modifications to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter
15			Conservation crop rotation to reduce the concentration of salts
16			Intercropping to improve soil health
17			Perennial grain crop conservation rotation
18		Residue and Tillage Management, No Till	No till to reduce soil erosion
19			No till to reduce tillage induced particulate matter
20			No till to increase plant-available moisture
21			No till system to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
22			No till to reduce energy
23			Purchase of no-till equipment*
24		Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till	Reduced tillage to reduce soil erosion
25			Reduced tillage to reduce tillage induced particulate matter
26			Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture
27			Reduced tillage to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
28			Reduced tillage to reduce energy use
29			Purchase of reduced tillage equipment*
30		Field borders	Enhanced field borders to reduce soil erosion along the edge(s) of a field
31			Enhanced field borders to increase carbon storage along the edge(s) of the field
32			Enhanced field borders to decrease particulate emissions along the edge(s) of the field
33			Enhanced field borders to increase food for pollinators along the edge(s) of a field
34			Enhanced field borders to increase wildlife food and habitat along the edge(s) of a field
35		Filter strips	Extend existing filter strip to reduce water quality impacts
36		Grassed waterways	Enhance a grassed waterway
37		Mulching	Mulching to improve soil health
38			Reduce particulate matter emissions by using orchard or vineyard generated woody materials as mulch
39			Mulching with natural materials in specialty crops for weed control
40			Lowbush Blueberry Mulching for Moisture Management
41		Cover cropping	Cover crop to reduce soil erosion
42			Intensive cover cropping to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
43			Use of multi-species cover crops to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter
44			Intensive orchard/vineyard floor cover cropping to increase soil health
45			Use of soil health assessment to assist with development of cover crop mix to improve soil health
46			Cover crop to minimize soil compaction
47			Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients
48			Cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles
49			Using cover crops for biological strip till
50			Cover crop to improve moisture use efficiency and reduce salts
51			Cover crop termination equipment*
52	Nitrogran Management	Nutrient management	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses
53			Reduce risks of nutrient loss to surface water by utilizing precision agriculture technologies
54			Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses on pasture
55			Reduce risks of nutrient losses to surface and groundwater by increasing setback awareness via precision technology
56	Grazing and Pasture	Pasture and hay planting	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce soil erosion
57			Forage and biomass planting to reduce soil erosion or increase organic matter to build soil health
58			Cropland conversion to grass for soil organic matter improvement
59			Forage plantings that help increase organic matter in depleted soils
60			Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect and/or monarch habitat
61			Establish wildlife corridors to provide habitat continuity or access to water
62			Diversifying forage base with interseeding forbs and legumes to increase pasture quality
63			Forage plantings that improve wildlife habitat cover and shelter or structure and composition
64		Prescribed grazing	Maintaining quantity and quality of forage for animal health and productivity
65			Grazing management for improving quantity and quality of food or cover and shelter for wildlife
66			Improved grazing management for enhanced plant structure and composition for wildlife
67			Stockpiling cool season forage to improve structure and composition or plant productivity and health
68			Improved grazing management on pasture for plant productivity and health with monitoring activities
69			Prescribed grazing to improve/maintain riparian and watershed functionelevated water temperature
70			Grazing management that protects sensitive areas -surface or ground water from nutrients
71			Prescribed grazing on pastureland that improves riparian and watershed function
72			Prescribed grazing that improves or maintains riparian and watershed function-erosion
73			Grazing management that protects sensitive areas from gully erosion
74			Improved grazing management through monitoring activities
75			Clipping mature forages to set back vegetative growth for improved forage quality
76			Implementing Bale or Swath Grazing to increase organic matter and reduce nutrients in surface water
77			Management intensive rotational grazing
78			Soil Health Improvements on Pasture
79			Grazing to Reduce Wildfire Risks on Forests
80			Contingency Planning for Resiliency
81		Range planting	Range planting for increasing/maintaining organic matter
82		Range planting	Range planting for improving forage, browse, or cover for wildlife
83		Establishment of new pasture	Pasture development*
84		Establishment of new pasture	Fencing*
85		Fuel Break	Grazing-maintained fuel break to reduce the risk of fire
86	Agroforestry, Forestry, and Upland Wildlife Habitat	Silvopasture	Transition to silvopasture*
87			Establishment of new silvopasture*
88			Silvopasture to improve wildlife habitat
89		Riparian cover/buffer zones	Increase riparian herbaceous cover width for sediment and nutrient reduction
90		Riparian cover/buffer zones	Increase riparian herbaceous cover width to enhance wildlife habitat
91		Riparian Forest Buffer	Increase riparian forest buffer width for sediment and nutrient reduction
92			Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction
93			Increase riparian forest buffer width to enhance wildlife habitat
94		Wildlife Habitat Planting	Establish pollinator habitat
95		Wildlife Habitat Planting	Establish monarch butterfly habitat
96		Tree/Shrub Establishment	Planting for high carbon sequestration rate
97			Establishing tree/shrub species to restore native plant communities
98			Adding food-producing trees/shrubs to an agroforestry system
99			Cultural plantings
100			Sugarbush management