Iowa farmers commit to nutrient reduction

More than 1,800 Iowa farmers have applied for $3.5 million in state cost-share funds to install nutrient reduction practices.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship on Friday said it received applications covering 187,000 acres. Farmers in each of the 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state were approved for funding.

Nutrient reduction practices eligible for the funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer.

Program participants include 980 farmers using a practice for the first time and more than 830 past users who are trying cover crops again and receiving a reduced-rate of cost share.

The first-time users expect to plant 79,000 acres of cover crops, 7,450 acres of nitrification inhibitor, 7,150 acres of no-till and 3,950 acres of strip-till. The past users will plant cover crops on nearly 89,500 acres.

New participants were eligible for a cost-share rate of $25 per acre for cover crops, $10 per acre for trying no-till or strip till and $3 per acre for using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer.

Farmers who had used cover crops in the past were eligible for $15 per acre in cost share.

Cost share only was available on up to 160 acres.

In a news release, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said Iowa farmers continue to show they are willing to invest in practices focused on limiting nutrient loss.

'To consider that this program went from zero to more than 1,800 farmers over the past three years shows that farmers are committed to action and willing to invest in water quality,” Northey said.

John Lawrence, Iowa State University associate dean for extension programs and outreach, said momentum is building among farmers to improve water quality.

'We're seeing a growing number of producers signing up for those funds,” Lawrence said. 'The incentives are there, but they have to put in some of their own funds.”