Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program
Conservation
Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program (AgVIP)
The Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program (AgVIP) is a voluntary, incentive-based program offered by the Utah Soil Health Program to help producers implement nutrient management and soil health practices on their operation. The goal of the program is to help agricultural producers improve soil health, water quality, and the overall resilience of their operation.
Producers who participate in AgVIP will work closely with a UDAF conservation planner to discuss their agricultural operation, explore what new conservation practices may be best suited to their operation, and develop a customized conservation plan. Producers who successfully implement their plans will be eligible for both monetary incentives and regulatory incentives that are offered in cooperation with the Utah Division of Water Quality.
All producers who enroll are eligible for a one-time $1,000 payment upon signing their conservation plan as well as annual payments for the three years they are enrolled in the program:
Plan Element
Annual Payment Rate (>200 acres)
Annual
Payment Rate
(<200 acres)
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan*
*This is a required element for all participating in AgVIP
$10/acre
$2,000/year
Soil Health
For producers who implement practices that meet three of the five soil health principles
$5/acre
$1,000/year
Other Conservation Elements
For producers who implement practices that meet three elements of integrated pest management, irrigation water management, and/or water quality protection.
$5/acre
$1,000/year
Maximum annual payment
$20/acre
$4,000/year
Producers are also eligible for a $5,000 bonus each year if they meet either of the following criteria:
Implement additional conservation practices beyond the minimum number of elements outlined in the table above.
Expand the number of acres that a conservation practice is implemented on.
Note: all contracts are capped at a maximum of $75,000 for the three year period, including all bonus payments.
AgVIP is a voluntary, incentive-based program. A producer’s inability to successfully implement their conservation plan will not result in any regulatory actions, they will simply be ineligible for any monetary or regulatory incentives that crop year.
AgVIP applications will open on May 1st, 2026 at 9:00 AM MDT and close on June 19th at 5:00 PM MDT. Applicants will be notified of their funding status in mid-July.
Soil Health Partnership
The Utah Soil Health Partnership works to provide a support network for Utah farmers and ranchers trying to implement soil health practices. The Utah Soil Health Partnership is a collaboration of local government and agricultural organizations that aims to improve and protect Utah soils.
Our partners work together to build localized knowledge and research about soil health principles. The partnership consists of farmers, agencies, industry representatives, and others who are dedicated to moving soil health forward in Utah. With the support of local agriculture, the partnership is building a network of on-farm research and demonstration sites in order to to evaluate and demonstrate soil health principles at work throughout Utah.
Utah Soil Health Partnership Website
Resources for farmers implementing positive soil health practices. Soil health testing, plans & principles, grant applications, Utah Soil Health Partnership contact & project information.
Katie Ottmann
Program Manager
(385) 224-9447
[email protected]
Translate »