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"Grazing Grants Available in Southeastern Pennsylvania"

"Grazing Grants Available in Southeastern Pennsylvania"
Written by Dave Lefever, published in Lancaster Farming (June 5, 2026)

​Funding for rotational grazing practices will be available for some graziers in three southeastern Pennsylvania counties under a revived grant program.
The goal is to recruit 25 graziers in Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties for funding, said Ann Basehore, the executive director of Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council.
Capital RC&D will administer funds awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The program also links with other agencies that offer grazing assistance, including county conservation districts, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Basehore said the funding, originally approved in September 2024, was frozen for much of 2025 but recently reactivated.
The grants will be given on a 90% cost-share basis.
Capital RC&D is in the process of establishing criteria for the grant, developing a list of potential graziers and choosing pilot areas for recruitment.
The agency is looking to recruit small- to medium-scale livestock farmers, especially those who are new to cost-share programs. Farms close to each other will be given priority consideration for mutual support and logistical efficiency.
The program will offer between $2,000 and $18,000 per project.
An RC&D grazing adviser will visit potential grant candidates to view their farms and discuss needs, goals and management skills. The adviser will then submit an application on behalf of the landowner/operator. Grants will be awarded according to RC&D’s ranking system.
While the funds will be allocated primarily to applicants in the three target counties, additional projects will be awarded in the other four counties in the Capital RC&D region — Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York.
“We are in the beginning of the process,” Basehore said on May 21. “Ideas, partnerships and participation are evolving.”
Funds will go toward improving grazing infrastructure, especially fencing and watering systems, streambank fencing, stream crossings, and riparian buffer installations. Pasture seedings and other grazing related improvements can also be eligible.
Technical assistance will be available.
To support the effort, Capital RC&D formed a monthly meeting group called Pasture Partners to share updates, gather feedback and collaborate as the project moves forward.
To learn more, contact Capital RC&D at 717-241-4361 or email [email protected].