Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative Offers Financial Incentives for Delayed Haying and Summer Pasture Stockpiling

WARRENTON, VA — Now through November 15, the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative is accepting applications from producers in 16 counties across the Northern Virginia Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Shenandoah Valley who are interested in financial incentives for protecting nesting grassland birds during the 2025 haying season.

Entering its fourth year and funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, VGBI provides up to $35 per acre in exchange for: 1) delaying the first cut of hay until July 1 or later; and/or 2) rotating livestock out of select fields between April 15 and July 1 or later. Because most grassland bird species require wide expanses of grasses for nesting, the program requires a minimum 20-acre commitment, ideally a large, contiguous patch of grassland distant from thick forest edges and human development. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit vagrasslandbirds.org.

How VBGI Helps Grassland Birds

Native grasslands have suffered more intense impact by humans than any other North American terrestrial ecosystem. In response, remaining grassland birds have adopted hayfields and pasturelands as a surrogate habitat. Grassland bird conservation, therefore, falls largely on private landowners and farmers. By working with producers to implement a suite of best management practices, VGBI strives to stem the tide of grassland bird decline, improve the resiliency of working landscapes, and positively impact the livelihoods that depend upon those lands. In addition to protecting nesting habitat, these practices can also be used strategically to stockpile forage for late summer grazing, rest and reseed fields, and reduce feed expenses.

“Delaying the first hay cutting until at least early July is a game-changer for our grassland birds because it allows the bulk of them to fledge at least one successful clutch of young. That quickly changes a hayfield from being a site of population loss to one of population gain,” said October Greenfield, VGBI co-coordinator and wildlife habitat coordinator at the Piedmont Environmental Council. “Meanwhile, rotating livestock out of select fields in the early spring and allowing those fields to rest until early summer — a practice called summer pasture stockpiling — is proving to be beneficial for not only nesting birds, but also cattle, soil health, and producer profitability.”

One 2024 program participant, Francis McGuigan of Greene County, shared his experience after enrolling 40 acres of pasture. “The results were dramatic. Not only did the bird population increase, but so did the insect, small mammal, and amphibian populations,” he said. “We saw and heard the results all summer. The program on my small farm is supporting ecosystem expansion and resilience.”

How VGBI Helps Farmers

“With the majority of remaining grasslands in Virginia currently held in private hands and under agricultural use, VGBI gives farmers the opportunity to become partners in conservation by implementing grassland bird-friendly agricultural practices,” Greenfield said. “We work with farmers to create conservation plans that protect grassland birds while simultaneously supporting their production goals.”

When farmers delay haying by just a few weeks, they have a significant impact on grassland bird survival. The resulting higher-fiber, more mature hay produced in early July is suitable for many hay operations, including forage for dry cows and retired animals, as well as for mushroom hay and bedding for animals. Additionally, summer pasture stockpiling, a form of rotational grazing, can extend the grazing season and reduce hay feeding days and feed costs while ensuring that grassland birds have enough time to raise their young.

In the program’s first three years, 45 producers formally enrolled 3,000 acres of land in the program. Producers interested in adopting one or both of these practices in 2025, with or without the financial incentive, are asked to apply for participation at vagrasslandbirds.org. Those already managing for delayed haying and/or summer pasture stockpiling are asked to report their acreage to be included in VGBI’s annual reports.

Tim Mize, of the Virginia Cooperative Extension and a member of VGBI’s steering committee, is excited to see this program gaining traction. “Although at times they seem at odds, livestock agriculture and wildlife conservation can benefit one another. It just seems obvious to me that this program is a win-win scenario for both,” he said.

Michelle McKenzie of Bellair Farm in Albemarle County said, “I would absolutely recommend this program to other people. Interacting with the VGBI staff as a part of this program has also provided networking opportunities and discussions about other programs that we’re getting involved with now, like kestrel box monitoring.”

The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative is a partnership of the Piedmont Environmental Council, Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes, American Farmland Trust, and Quail Forever.

Featured photo by Hugh Kenny.

Posted on: October 3, 2024