DOVER, Del. (March 28, 2023) — The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is accepting applications through May 1, 2023, for a new Poultry House Demolition Assistance Program announced today. The program provides cost-share assistance to remove old poultry houses past their useful life.

DDA will reimburse the poultry house owner 50% of the actual costs for remediation, up to a maximum of $10,000 per house. Prior to approval, DDA Nutrient Management staff will perform a site visit to verify houses to be removed and discuss the need to manage residual litter or nutrients. Funding will be reserved for approved applications to give applicants time to complete the removals.

“Many poultry houses across Delaware have reached the end of their productive life-span and have been abandoned as producers have upgraded to more environmentally friendly poultry houses,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Our goal by offsetting the costs to remove these houses is to assist producers in lessening their environmental impact and enhance our rural landscape.”

According to research by the University of Delaware’s Cooperative Extension, the soil under a poultry house can accumulate mineral nutrients through the diffusion of the ammonia component of manure over 30 to 50 years. Once the roof deteriorates, rainwater can enter the house, which can cause the excess nutrients to leach into the groundwater.

Landowners who wish to apply for the Poultry House Demolition Assistance Program can download an application at https://agriculture.delaware.gov/grants-loans. Applications can be emailed to nutrient.management@delaware.gov, mailed to DDA, or faxed to (302) 697-6287. Anyone receiving funding from the Delaware Department of Agriculture must complete a W-9 form online before approval.

Poultry house remediation cost-share is also available through programs such as NRCS-EQIP. Cost-share through the DDA program may be combined with other programs to help the landowner to reduce costs further, but DDA will not reimburse expenses that have or will be covered by another source. The applicant is responsible for meeting the requirements of any other cost-share program used.

###

DOVER, Del. (March 12, 2021) – Delaware fruit and vegetable growers who receive a passing score on their third-party food safety audits and agricultural water tests are eligible to receive cost-share to help cover the expense through the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

Many wholesale produce buyers require farms to pass third-party food safety audits to purchase the food to sell in retail establishments such as grocery stores. Audits verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored safely to minimize microbial food safety hazards. Testing agricultural water ensures the water used in crop production and post-harvest activities is safe.

The cost-share program will pay 80 percent of the costs of a successful USDA-AMS or commercial third-party audit with a maximum reimbursement of $1,000 per year for each farm. Also, producers can be compensated for 80 percent of the cost associated with annual water testing, with a maximum reimbursement of $500 per year for each farm. If USDA has covered 100 percent of an applicant’s successful audit, the applicant is still eligible to be reimbursed for water testing under the cost-share program.

To be eligible for assistance, Delaware fruit and vegetable growers must meet the following requirements:
• Growers must have completed and passed a third-party USDA-AMS or other commercial audits before July 31.
• Growers must submit receipts for the water tests performed.
• All paperwork must be submitted to DDA no later than July 31, 2021, to be eligible for reimbursement.

Any growers who have not submitted receipts and paperwork from their food safety audit or water test that was successfully completed between November 15, 2018, and December 31, 2020, may still apply for the cost-share program for reimbursement with DDA by submitting all required documents no later than June 1, 2021.

To schedule a USDA-AMS food safety audit, email Brenda Clements, Food Products Inspection Field Supervisor at Brenda.Clements@delaware.gov.

Funding is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Delaware growers must fully complete the necessary application and forms and show verification of successful audit completion, billing, and proof of payment for the audit. For questions regarding the Food Safety Audit Cost-Share Program, contact Anna Wicks at 302-698-4583 or via email at Anna.Wicks@delaware.gov.

###