In December 2012, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the Virginia Enhanced Conservation Initiative (VECI). This new initiative will help farmers keep livestock out of waterways and manage grazing on pastureland. McDonnell says keeping livestock out of rivers and streams will reduce water pollution and contamination. New Fences will be part of the VA initiative.

Gov. Bob McDonnell is putting $3 million into a program called Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program (VACS). VECI is part of that program.

This new program will now reimburse farmers up to 100 percent of the cost of installing stream exclusion systems. (In the past, reimbursement was limited to 75 percent.) Stream exclusion systems include fences, vegetative buffers and other features that prevent livestock from entering nearby waterways. Farmers in the program have to provide cattle other sources of water.

If you would like to apply to the program, you can contact their local district office for more information about VECI, as well as other incentive programs. To locate the nearest district office, visit http://www.vaswcd.org/.

For more information on getting a new fence in VA, please contact Hal Co Fence. Whether you would like a traditional wood fence — and wood fences come in a huge range of styles — or a more modern material, such as vinyl or composite, a professional fence installer can help you make the best fence for your property. Hal Co Fence and Deck contractors can provide an estimate to help you make a decision about your new fence in VA, and offer consultation on the pros and cons — aesthetic and functional — or the wide range of fences that Hal Co Fence and Deck are able to install.