Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Stewardship (PACS) Farm Certification Program

The Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Stewardship (PACS) program is a certification for farms that go above and beyond basic environmental requirements. This certification was created to recognize and reward farmers that are the best stewards of their land. This program has been revitalized and relaunched following a pilot version of the program in 2019.

PACS is administered by the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission with support from county conservation districts and private technical service providers that serve as verifiers for applicants.

Interested farms can apply for certification on a rolling basis.
 

In order to become certified under the PACS program, a farm must meet the following requirements:

• The farm must be operated by the owner of the land
• Must maintain all relevant/required administratively completed farm plans that are current and on schedule according to the implementation schedule in the plan(s) (conservation, nutrient management, manure management, E&S etc.)
• If there is a stream present on the property, a functional, vegetative riparian buffer with livestock excluded AND/OR stream AND/OR wetland restoration with livestock excluded
• A soil health test that has been conducted within the past 60 days with the mean score of all sample results scoring between 60-100 on the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) Standard Soil Health Analysis Package or an equivalent score from an equivalent testing package (if applicable)
• Prescribed grazing management in accordance with the NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (Code 528) (if applicable)
• Supplemental nutrient management in the form of at least 1 BMP implemented (if applicable): Nitrogen Rate Supplemental NM, Nitrogen Placement Supplement NM, Nitrogen Timing Supplement NM, Phosphorus Rate Supplemental NM, Phosphorus Placement Supplemental NM, Phosphorus Timing Supplemental NM
   

Farms that are interested in becoming PACS certified must complete the application package and work with a qualified verifier who will review farm plans, conduct an on-farm verification of best management practices, and conduct soil sampling. Qualified verifiers may or may not charge a fee for their services.

Once a farm has a complete application package, the application can be submitted to the State Conservation Commission for review and issuance of the PACS certification if all requirements are met.

Certified farms must be reverified every 5 years to maintain PACS status.

An application package must contain the following:

• Completed Inspection Report for Agricultural Operations (3320-FM-BWRNSM0008)
• Completed Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Stewardship (PACS) Program Supplement Form (3320-FM-BWRNSM0008-B)
• Soil Test Results
• Copies of all relevant and required conservation plans that are current, including:
  • Agricultural Erosion & Sediment Plan - 25 Pa Code 102.4(a) (PA Chapter 102)
  • Manure Management Plan - 25 Pa. Code 91.36(b) (PA Chapter 91)
  • Nutrient Management Plan - PA Act 38
  • Most recent Act 38 status review letter (“Nutrient Management Program On-site Status Review Follow-up Report”)
  • NRCS Conservation Plan
  • NRCS Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP)

Email Submission:

As this program does not yet have a dedicated module in PracticeKeeper, application packages should be submitted to the State Conservation Commission via email or by postal mail if necessary.

Please send completed application packages to Colleen Limbert at:

• Email: colimbert@pa.gov
• Phone number: 717-783-5320
• Address: 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
   

Farms that are PACS certified are eligible to access benefits from the Commonwealth such as:

• Exemption from Chesapeake Bay Agriculture Inspections and Manure Management Plan status reviews except in cases of a complaint or potential water quality concerns
• Preferential ranking in applications for certain SCC, DEP and PDA grant programs, tax credit programs, and other agency programs
• Prioritized review of permit applications for environmentally beneficial projects under Chapter 102 and Chapter 105
• Access to an exclusive “Certified Green Farm” product label for direct marketing
• Access to exclusive “Certified Green Farm” farm signage that can be ordered by a farm
• Placement on a public list of PACS certified farms for advertising and marketing purposes (unless a farm chooses to opt out of this benefit)
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Farms that are not yet PACS certified but are completing an on-farm conservation project in order to become PACS certified are also eligible to access the following benefits if this intent is indicated on the applications:

• Preferential ranking in applications for certain SCC, DEP and PDA grant programs, tax credit programs, and other agency programs
• Prioritized review of permit applications for environmentally beneficial projects under Chapter 102 and Chapter 105
   

List (Coming Soon)

Eligibility:

• Act 38 certified
• NRCS Certified Technical Service Providers (TSPs)
  • Conservation Planning Activities (CPA)
  • Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs)
  • Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs)
• Conservation district agriculture staff that have completed NRCS boot camp and have at least 2 years of experience
• Approved petition to have years of experience and/or professional licensure considered as an equivalent qualification to be determined by the SCC