Two projects in the region – one in Chautauqua County and one in Cattaraugus County – will receive more than $3.3 million combined from the state.

According to a recent news release, $1,909,650 was awarded to the Cattaraugus County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with one farm in the Cattaraugus watershed while $1,470,815 was awarded to the Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with one farm in the Chautauqua-Conneaut Watershed.

The awards are part of $15.8 million awarded for the first round of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Enhanced Nutrient and Methane Management Program (CAFO ENMP). Funding from the program will go toward projects that help farmers protect water quality and mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Through the first round of funding, the program will help CAFO-permitted farmers implement projects that enhance manure management systems that sequester carbon and conserve manure nutrients applied to fields and soil to protect water quality. The program also supports advancements in precision feed management to balance nutrients and reduce methane emissions.