Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced this week that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering state cost-share incentives for using cover crops. The annual program, which is available to eligible first-time users as well as returning participants, is now open for Iowa farmers to begin enrolling their acres that will be seeded this fall. Last year, over 3,544 farmers and landowners enrolled nearly 390,000 cover crop acres in this program. The state invested more than $8.5 million through the Water Quality Initiative, which leveraged nearly $23.4 million in total conservation investment. Funds will be made available beginning in July, but farmers may start submitting applications immediately. Learn more about conservation in Iowa by visiting CleanWaterIowa.org.
