Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) in partnership with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is offering grant opportunities for the 2025 state fiscal year. The goal of the grant program is to support environmental improvement programs on confined animal feeding operations. The grant funds are dedicated for environmental improvements to soil, water, and air quality with an emphasis on manure and nutrient management. This year, Idaho’s legislature has appropriated $ 2 million from the state general fund to support this program in the 2025 fiscal year.
Grant Program Progress
Over the past two years, the state of Idaho’s CAFO Improvement Fund has granted nearly $10 million dollars towards 25 projects. Eight of these projects are 100% complete and operational. Because of these successes, the state of Idaho has extended the CAFO Improvement grant program.
According to the IDEQ website, the types of projects funded by the CAFO Improvement grant program have included:
- DariTech Biolynk water recycling system
- Screw presses
- Centrifuge
- DariTech DT 360 presses
- Sloped screens
- Separation building
- New lagoon construction
- Reverse osmosis system
- Pump for lagoon to add acreage for lagoon water application
- Advanced distillation
- Pipeline to additional acreage for lagoon water application
Funding
The CAFO Improvement Fund is a 60/40 cost share program with a $400K cap per owner/partnership for the funding period. A minimum of 40% of the total project funding must come from the grant applicant. Cost share dollars can come from in-kind labor and/or equipment, NRCS grant funds, or cash on hand. Funds will be distributed by reimbursement of receipts following project completion.
The Grant Application Process
This year the grant application, including workplan and budget, must be submitted through a grant management platform called AmpliFund. Previous awardees are encouraged to apply; however, priority will be given to new owner/partnership applications and owner/partnership applications that were not awarded in the previous funding cycles. Please note that if you applied in previous years and did not receive funding, you must re-apply for the 2024 funding cycle.
Producers must have an approved and current Environmental/ Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) according to state regulations and must comply with the plan, as demonstrated by the most recent NMP review. Successful applications must specifically describe how the proposed project enhances current manure and nutrient management practices.
Workshop
To assist producers with the new software and to help answer questions related to the grant funds, two technical assistance webinars will be hosted on July 15th and August 19th, 2024, at 1 pm.
It is highly recommended that applicants download and complete the CAFO work plan before participating in the webinar or making an application.
Additional Information and Links
Application Dates: The 60-day application period opens July 1st, 2024, and closes August 31st, 2024.
Workshop: The July 15th and August 19th webinars are linked here.
Grant Information: The grant criteria, Amplifund link, and CAFO work plan can be found HERE under the resources heading.
Questions?: If you have questions regarding projects or the application process, please reach out to Valene Cauhorn at AGPROfessionals' Idaho Office (970) 571-9086 or vcauhorn@agpros.com or Megan Satterwhite with Idaho Dairymen's Association (208) 420-6795 or megan@idahodairymens.org