Farmers encouraged to apply now for cost share for cover crops

DES MOINES ? Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today reminded Iowa farmers that funds are available to help install practices focused on protecting water quality. Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip-till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

The cost share rate for first-time users of cover crops is $25 per acre, no-till or strip-till are eligible for $10 per acre and farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre. Farmers are eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres.

First-time users who apply by Aug. 1 will be the first applications funded. First-time users that apply after Aug. 1 will still receive priority consideration, but funds will also be made available to farmers who have used cover crops in the past for cost share assistance at $15 per acre.

?We already have $1.6 million in applications from more than 700 farmers interested in trying a new practice on their farm to better protect water quality. However, we do have some funds available, both for first-time users and those interested in trying cover crops again. I hope interested farmers will contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District soon to learn more about the assistance that is available,? Northey said. (Washington SWCD is located at 1621 East Washington Street, Washington, IA 52353 at the USDA building, phone 319-653-6654.)

Farmers are also encouraged to visit their local Soil and Water Conservation District office to inquire about additional opportunities for cost share funding through other programs offered at their local SWCDs.

The cost share assistance was announced on May 11. Since then, the Governor has signed into law $9.6 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative.

In the last three years this statewide program has been available, over 2,900 farmers in each of Iowa?s 99 counties have put in nutrient reduction practices on over 294,000 acres. The state provided about $6.2 million in cost share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice and Iowa farmers provided more than $6.2 million of their own resources to support these water quality practices.