Building Markets and Resiliency

Update (2026): Following a 2025 federal halt, this program restarted in January 2026 under the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) initiative (via a USDA-NRCS contract amendment). It offers up to $85,000/producer in cost-share for grazing conservation practices and up to $26,000 for business planning/marketing over 5 years. Details: northjerseyrcd.org/grazing.

Addressing Climate and Food Access with Northern NJ Livestock Farmers

This project would offer technical assistance and financial cost-share incentives to livestock producers to implement priority climate-smart practices, with higher cost-shares available to underserved producers. This project would provide increased business opportunities for underserved and small farmers to be competitive in purchasing land in a market dominated by corporate sprawl and development pressure.

The plan for developing and expanding markets for climate-smart commodities through this project involves the development of a climate-friendly farm certification, a consumer marketing campaign, and the expansion of equitable food access.

Farms that meet the following criteria are eligible:

• Wants to join a 5-year Grazing Lands Research Initiative 

• Current operation includes pastured livestock (beef cattle, sheep/lambs, goats);

• Willing to work on furthering on-farm grazing, individualized marketing strategies, and tracking overall outcomes (ecosystem, climate, soil health, economic);

• Located within 7 NJ counties (Mercer, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Morris, Somerset, and Union);

• Small and historically underserved producers encouraged to apply.

• Up to $60,000 in cost share funding per producer towards Grazing Conservation Practices. Cost share = 75% of total costs (HU Rate 90%)

• Up to $30,000 in cost share towards business planning and/or marketing assistance over 5 years

• Receive assistance for pasture and herd management, rotational grazing plans, nutrient and feed management, cropland conversion to pasture, and more.

• Work with RC&D staff and partners to quantify benefits while building soil health and resilience for future generations.

Fill out your application here.

https://www.northjerseyrcd.org/grazing