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Tri‑County Soil & Water reports $4.4 million in FY24 program activity in Spotsylvania, highlights cover‑crop acres and outreach
Summary
Tri‑County Soil and Water Conservation District told the board it delivered roughly $441,620 in cost‑share funds and supported 14,494 acres of conservation practices in Spotsylvania County in FY2024; cover crops and stream‑bank protection were major activities.
Madison Morgan of the Tri‑County City Soil and Water Conservation District presented the district’s FY2024 results to the Board on Oct. 22, reporting more than $441,620 directed to Spotsylvania County through agricultural cost‑share programs and roughly 14,494 acres enrolled in conservation practices.
Morgan summarized two primary programs: the Virginia Agricultural Cost‑Share (VACS) program and the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) for non‑ag landowners. In Spotsylvania the district said cover crops were the largest single practice (more than $400,000 in cover‑crop support countywide) and that more than 10,000 acres of cover crops were planted across the district. The FY24 report also cites more than 6,000 linear feet of stream bank protected and nearly $958,346 in cost‑share payments turned to producers across the district.
The district described outreach and education activities: more than 440 contacts in Spotsylvania County last fiscal year and participation in Youth Conservation Camp programs; a Cortland High School student from Spotsylvania received recognition for a study on airplane emissions. The district said staff certifications and training hours rose — the staff count increased from three to five and staff logged more than 291 training hours.
Board members thanked the district for outreach and noted the value of cost‑share programs for farmers and for water‑quality protection in the Rappahannock watershed. The district offered to provide the full annual report to supervisors and to meet with staff about site‑specific projects.
