A group of farmers in northwestern Vermont are hoping the federal economic stimulus package will help them reduce the amount of pollutants that reach Lake Champlain.
The farmers are hoping the money will buy 12 pieces of specialized equipment that punch holes in farm fields before manure is spread on them.
The holes will collect the manure and deliver it to the roots of the vegetation.
Crop production should increase and it will reduce pollutants that reach rivers and streams that are thought to contribute to conditions that lead to late summer algae blooms in Lake Champlain.
State Senator Susan Bartlett says she thinks the money for the machines can be found in stimulus money dedicated to reducing water pollution.