Cover crop, soil testing, heavy use area funds available for Dubois County farmland

The Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District is accepting applications for conservation practice incentive payments on Dubois County crop ground.

Cost share is available for cover crops, grid soil sampling, heavy use protection areas, livestock watering facilities, and pasture renovation. These cost share opportunities are part of two local SWCD programs and are not tied to any federal programs. Funds are limited, and projects will be funded at the SWCD Supervisors’ discretion according to pre-determined specifications.

The soil sampling and cover crop cost share program, funded through a Clean Water Indiana grant, proposes to reduce sediment and improve water quality by encouraging producers to bundle three conservation practices: soil testing, no-till, and cover crops. Participants will be required to complete grid soil sampling, utilize professional consultation on the soil test results, utilize no-till planting methods, and apply cover crops. Soil tests completed within the past three years will qualify; the participant may receive cost share for cover crops without re-doing soil tests. The application deadline is August 2nd, 2017.

Another funding opportunity focuses on livestock producers. Cost share payments will be available for pasture renovation, heavy use area protection, and livestock watering systems.

The Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors’ goal for the programs is encouraging the use of practical conservation practices to address nutrient loss and improve water quality.

“The more that people do on their farms now to prevent nutrients being lost into the Gulf of Mexico, the better,” said SWCD Chair Brenda Sermersheim. “It is better to practice wise stewardship now than to have to operate under mandates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency down the road.”

These incentive programs are not available to producers that already have the field(s) enrolled in other SWCD or Federal programs. All practices must follow the specifications and standards of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For complete details on the programs, call the SWCD office at 812-482-1171, Extension 3, or stop by and speak to a staff member.