The Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program and the Kentucky Soil Stewardship Program-Phase I TSA were created to help agricultural operations protect the soil and water resources of Kentucky and to implement their agriculture water quality plans. This program was established to assist landowners address existing soil erosion, water quality and other environmental problems associated with their farming or woodland operation.

The 1994 Kentucky General Assembly established this financial and technical assistance program. Kentucky Revised Statues 262.115 establishes that the program’s funds be administered by local conservation districts and the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission with priority given to animal waste related problems, agricultural district participants and to producers who have their Agriculture Water Quality plans on file with their local conservation districts. Funding for the program comes from the Kentucky General Assembly through the direct appropriations to the program from the Phase I Tobacco Settlement Funds and from funds provided by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Practices eligible for cost share are Animal Waste Control Facilities; Animal Waste Utilization; Vegetative Filter Strips; Sinkhole Protection; Heavy Use Area Protection; Rotational Grazing System Establishment; Livestock Stream Crossing and Riparian Area Protection. Click here for an updated Cost Share Manual 2007.

Ranking of applications will be done on the state level by the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission at the Kentucky Division of Conservation located in Frankfort. Approval of applications is based on a statewide ranking criteria and the availability of funds. Cost share rates are a maximum of 60 to 75 percent of the actual installation cost of the practice not to exceed $7,500 per year for agronomic practices or $20,000 per year for animal waste practices.