§ 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.)