- Why did the Rule Change?
| - The rule changed to: update language, correct outdated provisions and practices, update provisons and practices related to soil and water conservation on farms, add definitions, enhance clarity, add maximum financial assistance rates, define eligibility requirements, and add a process for the development of technical standards.
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- Did the revision change existing cost share rules?
| - The revision primarily brought clarification and simplification to the existing SWRM program rules. It updated requirements for administration and aligned the rule with program implementation.
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- Did the revision change the existing practices? What changes do I need to be aware of?
| - The update allowed for implementation of the Silurian bedrock agricultural performance standards promulgated in 2018 by the Wisconsin DNR.
- The update established a maximum rate for a one-time update of a nutrient management plan ($5 per acre) to meet the Silurian bedrock performance standard. Establishes a delayed implementation for achieving compliance with the Silurian bedrock performance standard by 2027. See Practice Specific Information for more.
- New practices were added. See Practice Specific Information for the newly adopted practices now available for cost-sharing.
- Removed conservation planting in riparian buffers from the maximum rate section for cropping practices. Allows financial assistance associated with conservation planting practices to be provided at a 70% cost-share rate, or 90% in the case of economic hardship, or provided as an incentive payment.
- Added rates for single species and multi-species cover crops. See Practice Specific Information
- Field stripcropping is no longer a specific practice but included in stripcropping 50.89.
- See Practice Specific Information for the Updated Practices table for specific updates on new and existing practices.
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- What new conservation practices were added to the rule and are now available for cost-sharing?
| Conservation crop rotation, conservation cover, habitat diversification, harvestable buffers, hydrologic restoration, nutrient treatment systems, stream restoration, and verification of depth to bedrock are new practices incorporated into the ATCP Rule update.
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- What funding source is appropriate for each of these new practices?
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- What did the rule change in regards to cost share grants?
| - Updated the section “Cost-share Grants to Landowners” to “Financial Assistance to Landowners” which adds options to support landowners in implementing conservation practices.
- Created section, s. ATCP 50.38, to outline the general requirements that apply when counties distribute any type of financial assistance to landowners.
- Created section s. ATCP 50.41, to describe requirements for offering financial assistance to landowners in forms other than cost-share.
- Allows registered architects to certify practice compliance if the practice includes a roof structure.
- Clarifies that cost-share funds can be used to record any contract authorized under chapter 50.
- Clarifies that the rule does not limit the use of financial assistance from other non-state sources, including other sources that are authorized under state law but are not considered state funds.
- Updates maximum rates to better reflect actual costs.
- Updates the language around maximum rates to remove specific reference to “cost-share” to allow the rates to apply when any type of financial assistance is offered under subchapter 50.
- Clarifies that financial assistance from government sources cannot exceed 100% of the project costs.
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