Ag Policy Blog

Iowa Offers Cost-Share on Conservation Practices

Todd Neeley
By  Todd Neeley , DTN Staff Reporter
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As part of Iowa's efforts to reduce nutrients runoff the state announced this week a cost-share program aimed at helping producers implement cover crops, no-till and strip-till practices, as well as nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the cost share rate for first-time users of cover crops is $25 per acre. No-till or strip till projects are eligible for $10 per acre. Farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre.

IDALS said any farmer not already using the practices will receive "priority consideration" for assistance. Farmers that have used cover crops in the past may be eligible for $15 per acre for cover crops.

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"We continue to hear from farmers interested in doing even more to limit nutrient loss and better protect water quality and these funds will help them try new voluntary science-based conservation practices on their farm," Northey said in a news release.

Farmers are eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres. The funds reportedly will be made available in July, but farmers are encouraged to immediately start submitting applications through their local soil and water conservation district offices.

"As farmers are busy planting, we wanted to get the announcement out as soon as possible so our staff and partners can prepare to sign-up interested farmers if there are rain delay or as field work is wrapped up," Northey said.

In all, the IDALS received $4.4 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2015. The funds allow the department to continue to encourage broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

In the past two years more than 1,400 farmers put in new nutrient reduction practices on more than 144,000 acres, as part of the program. The state provided about $3.4 million in cost-share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time and Iowa farmers provided at least another $3.4 million to support these water quality practices.

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