Grazing for Appalachian Sustainability (GRASS)

Grazing for Appalachian Sustainability (GRASS) is a West Virginia University Extension project serving beef cattle and sheep producers across West Virginia and Virginia. It helps farmers shift from conventional management to soil health-conscious practices on working lands and works to expand markets for these commodities.

Participating farmers may qualify for an annual cash incentive, training and marketing assistance, along with educational and technical support. The project is funded through USDA's Advancing Markets for Producers initiative.

Applications are open until December 15, 2026.

• Produce beef cattle or sheep in West Virginia or Virginia.

• Be a US citizen and not represent a foreign entity.

• Own or have control (through a lease) of the enrolled property through the end of the project.

• Have established farm records with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

• Have completed AD-2047 (Customer Data Worksheet) and AD-1026 (Highly Erodible Land Conservation & Wetland Conservation compliance).

• Agree to farm access (with prior notification) by project staff, and share relevant farm information and data with project partners.

• Ensure GRASS is not funding a project that has already received funding.

• Be willing to keep and report accurate farm and sales records.

• Meet practice-specific requirements based on NRCS Conservation Practice Standards.

No payment rate, per-acre amount, cost-share percentage, or per-producer cap is published. WVU Extension states only that "The GRASS project provides farmers with educational and technical assistance, as well as financial incentives, to support the transition from conventional management to sustainable conservation practices on working lands" and that "Participating farmers may qualify to receive an annual cash incentive, training and marketing assistance." So the payment is an annual incentive, sized per approved practice after you enroll — ask grass@wvu.edu for the current rate before you budget.

What the incentive is tied to — approved USDA-NRCS practices: alley cropping (311), silvopasture (381), fencing (382), pasture and hay planting (512), prescribed grazing (528), nutrient management (590), tree/shrub establishment (612), watering facility (614). Note that fencing (382) and watering facility (614) are flagged as "To be used only in combination with other practices listed above" — you cannot enroll for fence or water alone.

What you commit to: you must "Own or have control (through a lease) of the enrolled property through the end of the project"; keep and report accurate farm and sales records; allow project staff farm access with prior notification and share farm data with project partners; have established farm records with FSA plus completed AD-2047 and AD-1026. No double-dipping — "Ensure that the GRASS project is not funding a project that has already received funding." Practices must meet NRCS Conservation Practice Standard requirements.

Also included at no cost: education and technical assistance, training, and marketing assistance.

Who and when: beef cattle or sheep producers in West Virginia or Virginia, US citizens, not representing a foreign entity. "The GRASS Project is currently taking applications! The Summer 2026 application will be open through September 15, 2026." You complete an interest form first and are then invited to the full application.

Apply online through the "GRASS Application" button on WVU Extension's GRASS page (https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV\_51rtpvxDa37JdPM). The application is open until December 15, 2026. The separate "Email List Sign-Up" button only subscribes you to project updates.

Your application names practices from the approved NRCS list: alley cropping (311), silvopasture (381), fencing (382), pasture and hay planting (512), prescribed grazing (528), nutrient management (590), tree/shrub establishment (612) and watering facility (614). Fencing and watering facilities can be used only in combination with the other listed practices.

Questions: grass@wvu.edu. In West Virginia, contact Kate Fotos, GRASS project program coordinator. In Virginia, contact Allison Underwood (allisonbowerk@vt.edu) or Jonathan Wooldridge (jwooldri@vt.edu).