This is a State of Iowa funded cost share grant for producers in priority watersheds. This grant exclusively funds those in Mahaska, NE Marion, and SE Jasper Counties. We have direct funding for cover crop and provide cost share assistance for other best management practices.
This state incentive is popular because it’s easy to sign up for and accepts both new and continuing acres; but sign up early. Funds are first come, first served.
Grassland CRP helps landowners protect rangeland, pastureland, and similar areas while maintaining them as active grazing lands. Unlike other versions of CRP, this one allows for grazing, harvesting hay, and harvesting seed. It pays annual rental payments to enrolled producers.
Continuous CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) is designed for specific, high-priority conservation practices (filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restorations) on the most environmentally sensitive land. Unlike General CRP, the signup is open year round and can be less competetive.
The Conservation Reserve Program, most commonly known as CRP, is aimed at taking environmentally sensitive cropland out of production to establish long-term covers like grasses. Producers receive an annual rental payment. The general program uses a competetive ranking process to accept applications.
Get cost share for incorporating small grain through this private program that stacks well with other PFI programs and/or federal cost share. The goal of the program is enhancing soil quality and reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.
This program will provide a free analysis of your field’s profitability to see if it makes financial sense to take unprofitable acres out of production. If you choose to take recommended acres out of production, you receive a payment for the row crop acres that remain.
The PFI Habitat Incentives program helps producers reduce erosion and nutrient loss while attracting pollinators. PFI’s program is unique because they can help you combine their habitat program with the USDA’s CRP incentives.
REAP is a state program for Iowa’s natural resources and is funded from Iowa gaming receipts and natural resources license plates. REAP is a mostly used for windbreaks and barriers.
This program is best for smaller projects like ditches, windbreaks, or yards. It pays for half the cost of seed and you get access to a private lands biologist to help you.
This program is aimed at helping farmers find their optimal and economical rate at which they can save money and increase farm resiliency. PFI offers a per-acre payment to reduce N, plus an additional payment if yields drop. But the goal is to maintain yields at lower N rate.
This is a program that provides free on-farm nitrogen trials so that farmers can better understand their fields and optimum nitrogen rates. With technical support, you’ll test 4 or 5 rates on 5-10 acres. This also contributes to a statewide tool called N-FACT.
This is a pork producer-centric program that offers funding and technical support for cover crops, reduced tillage, buffers, and livestock integration. National Pork Board is the lead organization, but it’s not limited to only pork producers.
This is not a cost share program, but a discounted application service that helps you save money on cover crops and get them in earlier. Hire out application via a high-boy interseeder owned by a central Iowa partnership for cleaner water.
This program for Dickinson, Clay, Palo Alto, and Emmet County farmers offers payment incentives plus community support or mentorship from fellow cover crop farmers so it’s great for first time cover crop users.
This is a Dubuque County program that offers hassle-free drone application and is especially beneficial for those wanting to try multi-species or get their cover crops planted earlier.
This program is specifically for farmers who grow seed corn. Cover crops have an even greater benefit after seed corn harvest due to harvest being earlier in the season.
Receive a $5/acre rebate on your crop insurance if you plant cover crops. An especially helpful program for those who miss deadlines for other, higher-paying programs.
This state incentive is popular because it’s easy to sign up for and accepts both new and continuing acres; but sign up early. Funds are first come, first served.
This is a small program with limited funds to help farmers set up grazing infrastructure including on cover crop acres. It’s a great way to make your cover crop investment even more useful.
Run by AgOutcomes, a subsidiary of Iowa Soybean Association, SWOF is a carbon inset program that pays farmers for environmental outcomes. It’s great for farmers with long term goals becasue you can add new practices every year to potentially increase your rates.
A program made by farmers for farmers, this is a USDA grant funded initially by the Climate Smart Program (Now known as the Advancing Markets For Producers program). New in 2026, payments are $35 per acre for all farmers, not just those who are new to cover crops.
RCPP and EQIP are both USDA programs administered through NRCS and offer some of the highest payment rates. Often, the rates are similar, which is why we have them grouped here. However, RCPP rates can sometimes differ because RCPP is based on individual project areas within the state of Iowa.