A Twilight Dinner Meeting for Horse Owners will be held on March 15, 2012, 6 p.m. at the Taintor Farm, 16409 Hamilton Station Road, Waterford, Virginia. Dinner will be provided by the LSWCD. Attendees will be able to see fencing and a water system installed with LSWCD cost share funds, and learn about funding available for stream fencing and water system installation on small horse and other livestock operations regardless of their acreage, or whether they produce income. LSWCD staff will explain the requirements of the program.
A new program is available for a segment of horse owners that have not traditionally been eligible to take advantage of cost share programs through the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District (LSWCD). Loudoun County has provided the District with assistance to supply stream exclusion and water system cost share funding to horse and other livestock owners who do not qualify for the Virginia state Ag Best Management Practices program due to having farms under five acres, or not deriving income from their operation. This funding compliments the existing program providing cost share assistance to horse and livestock owners earning income from their operations. These programs can cover up to 75% of the eligible costs of fencing out a stream from horse access and installing a water system.
Funds are also available for fence maintenance on existing fencing that protects streams and water bodies. The cost share rate is $1.00 per linear foot of stream bank protected for this program.
Excluding horses from streams benefits animal health by keeping hooves drier, and providing a cleaner source of drinking water. Keeping horses away from streams benefits the environment by keeping manure which contains bacteria and excess nutrients from washing into streams and keeping stream banks protected from erosion. A little investment can provide a “win-win” for your horse and Loudoun’s streams.
District staff can help horse-owners apply for cost-share funding programs to help implement streamside livestock exclusion best management practices. They also can identify other conservation programs for which agricultural operations of all kinds can qualify. For more information, contact the District staff at (571) 918-4530.
Registration for the meeting is free. To register complete our on-line registration form: http://fs18.formsite.com/lswcd/TwilightHorseMeeting/index.html by Monday, March 12 or call Chris Van Vlack at (571) 918-4530, ext 107 for more information.
