*Adapted from Iowa Dept of Ag & Land Stewardship press release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Farmers in 22 counties upstream of the Des Moines area will have access to more cover crop cost share from a newly announced initiative called the “Greater Des Moines Watershed Program.” The initiative has goals to accelerate and scale up the use of conservation practices to improve water quality.
Cover crops are one of Iowa’s most effective conservation practices for improving water quality while also delivering agronomic benefits to farmers. They help reduce soil erosion, improve water infiltration, build soil organic matter, suppress weeds, provide livestock forage opportunities, and keep nutrients in the field and out of nearby waterways.
The cost share details
New and existing cover crop users can receive $25 per acre for up to 500 acres under the Greater Des Moines Watershed Initiative. This is an increased incentive (other counties receive $20/acre at a 160 acre cap).
Counties with the expanded cost-share include Audubon, Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Clay, Dallas, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Sac, Webster, Winnebago and Wright.
Learn more about cost share for conservation at IAWA’s Conservation Compass.
Where the funding is from
The program was created as part of the Farm to Faucet water quality package signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on June 1. The program will be part of the greater “Water Quality Initiative” which was established in 2013 and is a significant source of water quality funds each year in Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing an additional $2.5 million in this program with the goal of doubling cover crop adoption across the watershed.
The announcement is the first of several conservation initiatives that will be rolled out through the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program in the coming weeks.
“Improving water quality requires a system-wide approach from the farm to the faucet, and farmers continue to step up by implementing proven conservation practices on their farms. Cover crops are one of the most effective tools we have to keep soil and nutrients in the field, improve soil health, and protect water quality. That’s why we’re increasing incentives and making it easier for farmers and landowners to participate,” said Secretary Naig.
Farmers and landowners can get signed up now by stopping in their USDA Service Center, or they can learn more at CleanWaterIowa.org.”
Find Your Cost-Share Options with The Conservation Compass
You don’t have to piece this together on your own. The Conservation Compass, IAWA’s online tool, is built to help you quickly find cost-share and incentive programs available for your farm, including this newly enhanced cover crop funding. Enter your county and the practices you’re considering, and The Conservation Compass will surface the programs you may qualify for, so you can walk into your USDA Service Center or reach out to a retailer already knowing your options.
Talk to a Conservation Agronomist
Cost share is only part of the equation. Knowing how to make a practice work on your specific fields is the other. IAWA’s partner network of conservation agronomists is here to help you think through seed selection, timing, termination and how a new practice fits into your existing rotation and equipment. If you’re weighing whether cover crops, wetlands or edge-of-field practices make sense for your operation, reach out!
The Bigger Picture
In 2024, Iowa farmers planted nearly 4 million acres of cover crops, up from fewer than 400,000 just a decade ago. Farmers are also building more water quality wetlands, which capture water as it leaves the field, reducing nitrate runoff by up to 90 percent. Over 150 wetlands have been constructed statewide, and the pace is accelerating; nearly three times as many wetlands have been built in the past four years compared to the previous two decades.
In addition, farmers have installed nearly 500 nitrate-filtering buffers along field edges, all of which capture and treat water before it reaches streams, and these practices have been installed about five times faster in the past four years than in the previous decade.