Farmers and landowners can sign up now for cost-share funds from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to adopt soil health and water quality practices. The funding can be used for in-field management practices, including planting cover crops, transitioning acres to no-till/strip-till soil management or applying a nitrification inhibitor.

Farmers who are planting cover crops for the first time are eligible for $25 per acre, and previous cover crop users can receive $15 per acre. Farmers transitioning acres to no-till or strip-till are eligible for $10 per acre and may receive $3 per acre for applying fall fertilizer using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor.

The funds will be made available in July, but farmers can start submitting applications im­mediately through their local Soil and Water Conservation District offices.