From Rep. Sharon Steckman –
With additional water quality protection funds approved last session, funds are now available to farmers to utilize conservation practices to help reduce fertilizer runoff into our lakes, streams, and rivers.
The initial conservation practices eligible for cost-share assistance are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer. Any farmer not already utilizing these practices can apply for this cost share assistance for up to 160 acres.
The cost share rate for farmers planting cover crops is $25 per acre. For no-till or strip till, the rate is $10 per acre. Farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre.
Iowans can contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District to apply. Click here to find your local office: https://idals.iowa.gov/FARMS/
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is utilizing $1.8 million of one-time funding to support these practices this fall. The funds can be used over the next five years. The department said they anticipate additional rounds of funding will be available for other nutrient reduction practices, including buffers, bioreactors, wetlands, and others listed in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Lets see, we subsidize the farming industry so those poor farmers can pay their bills. Now, we are supposed to pay them to implement good farming practices that will conserve their top soil which will just so happen reduce the pollution of our water. What happened to those stewards of the land? This is complete CRAP!!!! CRAP!!!! What the hell is wrong with this world. I suppose next we will pay criminals to behave.