Iowa Sec. of Agriculture Mike Naig encourages farmers to register for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDALS) cover crop cost-share incentive program. Naig says, “Cover crops are proven to not only improve water quality and hold our soil in place, but they also provide many other benefits, including forage for livestock, reduced soil compaction, and enhanced soil health. Through our state’s popular statewide cost-share program for both first-time and existing cover crop users, we’re helping more farmers cover more acres.” The program is available to first-time users as well as returning participants for seeding that will take place this fall. First-time users are eligible for $30 of cost-share per acre, while returning producers can receive $20 per acre, with an enrollment limit of 160 acres per participant. Farmers uninterested in cover crop programs have other conservation incentives as an option, including up to $10 per acre for transitioning to no-till or strip till and $3 per acre for using nitrogen inhibitors when applying fall fertilizer. In 2024, more than 3,500 Iowa farmers enrolled almost 390,000 acres through this program. Funding will be available starting in July, but applications are already being accepted at soil and water conservation offices, found at the local USDA Service Center. For more information about these and other conservation programs, follow the link included below.
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