Ag. Conservation Assistance – Snyder County, PA Government

Technical Assistance

Much of the work done by the Snyder County Conservation District staff relates to offering technical assistance for protecting our ground and surface waters to the agricultural community.

Best Management Practices

Along with other cooperating agencies, we have installed many best management practices (BMPs) on farms throughout Snyder County.

Examples of agricultural BMPs are: improved barnyards, streambank fencing, manure storages, waste stacking structures, diversions, grass waterways, cattle stream crossings, milkhouse wastewater treatment systems, riparian buffers, cover cropping and no-till crop planting. Further details can be found in the Snyder County AG BMP Guide and the PA Conservation Catalog. These booklets show many types of BMPs that can prevent sediment and nutrient pollution of surface and ground water.

To reach one of our technicians about these BMPs, go and reach us at 570-837-3000.

Manure Management Planning

The Conservation District offers assistance to farmers by helping them write their own manure management plans (MMPs) or teaching them how to write these plans themselves. Contact Barry Spangler, Agricultural Conservation Technician, at 570-837-3000 x5 for details.

Note: PA Department of Environment Protection (DEP) regulations require any operation or entity that raises or boards animals, produces or receives animal manure, regardless of animal type (equine, poultry, livestock, exotic animals, etc.) or animal number have a manure management plan (MMP).

Other Technical Assistance

From time to time, other publications are available either at the SCCD office or at the (USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service) NRCS-Middleburg Field Office. Examples include materials on no-tilling, cover cropping, soil health and workbooks to help write a manure management plan (MMP).

We also sell soil test kits for farmers to analyze nitrogen needs (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), pH and other soil nutrient levels.

We also can help out with manure spreader calibrations. Contact us at 570-837-3000 if you are interested.

Manure Management Planning Workshop for Small Ag./Livestock/Poultry/Equine Operations

The Manure Management Plan (MMP) workshop scheduled for June 5 at 6:30 p.m. for small livestock and equine operations has been cancelled. To schedule a 1-on-1 meeting on how to write MMPs, call (570) 837-3000 x5 or email agtech@snydercd.org.

Staffing for this project promoting agricultural environmental compliance was financed by in part by an EPA grant provided by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of EPA, DEP, or any of its subagencies.

Additional information can be found in our Agricultural Erosion Prevention → and Agricultural Nutrient Management → web pages.

Financial Assistance

There are several programs that farmers can seek financial assistance from the Conservation District, NRCS and other agencies. They are as follows:

Examples of recent, upcoming and potential Conservation District financial assistance programs include barnyard improvements, pasture and streambank fencing, cattle stream crossings, pasture watering systems, manure storages, roof runoff controls and riparian buffers. Go to “Financial Assistance Downloads” to read some examples.

Interested in Ag. BMPs? Funding Possible via the SCCD

Pennsylvania farmers are hearing news about the need to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in our local streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. PA Farmers also hear that additional funding is available for farmers to install conservation practices that improve their operations as well as water quality. What is the next step?

In Snyder County, the Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is making a list of farmers interested in improving their farm operations with the installation of conservation practices, a.k.a. best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs include:

Manure Storages & Stacking Areas
Streamside Riparian Buffers
Barnyard Improvements & Animal Heavy Use Areas
Streambank Fencing
Milkhouse Wastewater Treatment
Silage Treatment
Cattle Stream Crossings
Roof Gutters & Outlets
Pasture Watering Facilities
Cattle Walkways
Streambank & Fish Habitat Restoration

Once a farmer contacts the SCCD and its staff visit the operation, both farmer and the SCCD can work together to see what BMPs and plans are needed, how much it costs, and how to secure potential funding.

If interested, please contact Lauren Cheran, SCCD Program Administrator, at (570) 837-3000 x2, and our staff can start the process in helping local farmers.

Riparian Buffer Planting & Fencing Opportunities

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) recently received funding via the Growing Greener Plus grant program to install fencing, livestock crossings, and vegetation plantings on streambanks through land under agricultural use. These buffers can help to preserve agricultural land from being washed downstream during storm events, and to improve stream water quality.

If you are a landowner or farm operator in Snyder County that is experiencing streambank erosion, high-velocity floodwaters, or poor water quality, please ask for SCCD Watershed Specialist Sarah Lauver, at (570) 837-3000 x8.

The program covers all expenses of supply and installation for the landowner/farmer.

PA Tax Credit Program

The PA State Conservation Commission (SCC) offers a tax credit program (REAP Program: Resource Enhancement and Protection Program) for farmers who recently installed or plan to install best management practices (BMPs), have planted/will plant cover crops, or have purchased or will purchase no-till planting or specialized manure handling equipment. Farmers can also receive tax credits for nutrient management plans (NMPs), manure management plans (MMPs), conservation plans and agricultural erosion & sedimentation (Ag. E&S) plans. If approved, tax credits are awarded by the PA Department of Revenue.

Please note that the applicant must have:

An MMP or NMP (if produce or receive manure),
An up-to-date conservation or Ag. E&S plans on all land they own and rent, and
If the applicant has animal concentrated areas (ACAs), that BMPs are in place to treat runoff from the ACA,

to qualify for BMP and equipment tax credits. If not, tax credits can only go towards the development of MMPs, NMPs, conservation and Ag. E&S plans.

Update: The SCC will be accepting application starting on August 1, 2026. Visit the PA REAP website to view or download the following:

Program guidelines and updates for 2026, and
REAP Application

Note: PACS (PA Ag. Conservation Stewardship Farm Certification Program)-certified farms and preserved farms may submit REAP applications to the SCC before August 1, 2026.

Contact the Snyder County Conservation District office, or Nicole Bloom, SCC REAP Program Administrator, in Harrisburg, PA, at (717) 783-9636, for information.

USDA-NRCS Financial Programs

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) also has many programs such as:

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
and others.

You can reach the NRCS Middleburg Field Office at 570-600-4031 for additional information.

USDA-FSA Financial Programs

The USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers conservation cost-share and loan programs as well. For example:

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

To reach the Snyder-Union Counties FSA Office in Middleburg, call 570-600-4018.

PA DEP Small Business Grant Program

The PA DEP’s Small Business Ombudsman’s Office has a grant program in which small businesses, including agricultural operations, can apply for grant to fund natural resource conservation best management practices (BMPs) that prevent sediment and nutrient pollution. Possible projects include forested/grass riparian buffer plantings, streambank fencing and barnyard runoff controls.

The maximum grant award allowed is $9,500.00 and a match up to 50% of equipment/material costs is possible. This is a first-come, first-serve award basis.

For more information, contact the DEP Small Business Ombudsman’s Office at 717-772-5160 or epadvantagegrant@pa.gov.