News

Record sign-up for Iowa water quality program

A record number of Iowa farmers have enrolled in the state’s water quality initiative cost share program.

Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig says more than 2,800 farmers signed up to try cover crops, no-till/strip-till or a nitrification inhibitor on more than 300,000 acres.

“It just continues to show that even in the challenging ag economy, we’ve got farmers and landowners who are willing to invest and they’re willing to engage on improving soil health and water quality,” Naig says.

More than 1,000 participants will be using a practice for the first time.

“It tells me that messages are getting across—that folks are willing to step up and try things—and we’re very hopeful that we can continue to grow the number of cover crop acres in the state of Iowa,” says Naig.

First-time cover crop users will receive 25 dollars per acre in cost share, while farmers that have used cover crops in the past receive 15 dollars per acre.  Cost share is limited to 160 acres per farmer.

The state is providing over five million dollars in cost share funds to match over nine million dollars being invested by farmers.

Over the past five years, 8,000 farmers, including nearly 4,600 first time users, have signed up for the water quality initiative which was established in 2013 to help implement the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

AUDIO: Mike Naig