2025 Two-Tiered Approach

First: 2025 Voucher Program

Purpose: What’s your next 4R move to gain greater yield and efficiency on your farm? Use the Mid-Atlantic 4R voucher program with a participating trusted advisor to find out what advanced nutrient management practices could benefit your operation.
Vouchers:
- For 2025, we have 28 vouchers valued at $1,000 available. We also have 2 vouchers valued at $1,250 available for historically underserved farmers.
  - A historically underserved farmer includes:
    - Women
    - American Indians or Alaska Natives
    - Asians or Asian Americans
    - Black or African Americans
    - Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders
    - Hispanics
    - Beginning Farmer (have not operated a farm for more than 10 years)
    - Veteran (as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2))
- These vouchers will be paid directly to the trusted advisor for their work completing the planning of advanced nutrient management.
Eligibility Requirements:
- A trusted advisor must provide planning to a farmer in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed portions of DE, MD, PA, or VA to plan a new 4R practice between January 2025 and July 2025.
- Enrolled fields must have a current nutrient management plan in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia or meet NRCS Core Nutrient Management requirements in Pennsylvania.
- One must share documentation of planned activities.
- This data can be used by the Mid-Atlantic 4r Nutrient Stewardship Association for project reporting and presentation. Only aggregated data will be used; no individual farmer data will be shared.
- Provide a W9 for the trusted advisor.
- The farmer and advisor are willing to participate in an interview with MA4R about their Voucher Program experience in the winter of 2025.
Example Practices:
- Nitrogen Modeling
- Variable Rate Maps
- Generate Field Zones
- Advanced Soil Testing
- Data Management
- Precision Fertilizer Recommendations
Timeline:
- Vouchers will be reserved by submitting this enrollment, with proof of Nutrient Management, to Jenell McHenry, Executive Director on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The Executive Director will confirm the form is received and voucher is approved.
- All completed vouchers and required documents are due to the Executive Director by July 1, 2025.
  - Vouchers where one PLANS to implement the planned practice in 2025 must submit this reporting form within 30 days of implementation. The final planning form can be found here. The excel sheet for data can be found here for easy reporting.
  - Vouchers where one DOES NOT PLAN to implement the planned practice in 2025 must submit this reporting form before July 1st. The final planning form can be found here. The excel sheet for data can be found here for easy reporting.
- Once all voucher data is collected and compiled, checks to the agribusinesses will be mailed.
Other Notes:
- Acreage has no minimum or maximum but must be used to fulfill the budget of $1,000.
- Farms are eligible to receive this voucher more than once as long as the practice is new to the field.
- A Certified Crop Adviser must sign-off on the voucher.
If you have further questions, please contact Jenell McHenry directly at midatlantic4r@gmail.com or 443-262-6969.

Second: 2025 Implementation with Cost-Share

Purpose: After a successful voucher process with your Technical Service Provider, it’s time for implementation! We recognize there can be barriers to implementing 4R practices, so part 2 of this program provides farms with direct cost-share to implement the identified 4R practice(s) that improves nutrient use efficiency through modifying the Source, Rate, Time and Placement of nutrients.
Eligibility Requirements:
- One must complete our Voucher Program before implementing an advanced nutrient management practice for cost-share. This includes 2024 and 2025 vouchers.
- For voucher requirements, please view the eligibility above.
Timeline:
- Complete a 2024 or 2025 voucher and submit this reporting form within 30 days of implementation. The excel sheet for data can be found here for easy reporting. But no later than July 1st.
- The Executive Director will review and respond with questions and next step requirements.
- Complete previous history and current nutrient application data and submit by August 1st. The excel sheet for data can be found here for easy reporting.
- Confirmation of implementation and yields will be due to Jenell by December 1st.
- Payments will be sent once all data is collected.
Example Practices:
- Precision Fertilizer Recommendations (Variable Rate, Greenseeker, etc.)
  - Nitrogen
  - Phosphorus
  - Manure
  - Or a combination of
- Nitrogen Claim Reduction Products (PivotBio, Source, Envita, etc.)
- Phosphorus Claim Reduction Products (NutriCharge, Phospholutions, etc.)
- Implementation of in-season nitrogen management practices (PSNT, Adapt N, In Season Sensors, etc.)
- Split Nitrogen Application
- Injection or Banding
  - Nitrogen
  - Phosphorus
  - Or Combination
- Nitrogen Stabilizers
- On Farm Replicated Research or On Farm Strip Trials
  - As long as there is a timing, source, or placement deliverable and a reduction of nutrients.
- Please note if you have an idea or suggestion that you would like to see completed on a farm, please bring it to our attention. We will see if it qualifies.
Payment:
- Under 50 acres – the farmer will be paid $35 an acre. With a maximum payment of $1,750. With a minimum of 20 acres (expectations may be granted for small acreage on a case-by-case basis).
- Over 70 acres – the farmer will be paid a flat rate of $2,350.
- Trusted advisers will be paid $500 for each farmer that they provide technical support to. Their role is to ensure implementation requirements are met and all appropriate documents and data is provided.
Other Notes:
- We are working on vouchers for small grains, more information will be released this summer. Let our team know if you are interested.
If you have further questions, please contact Jenell McHenry directly at midatlantic4r@gmail.com or contacting her cell at 443-262-6969.