A growing number of Barton County producers have expressed interest in cover cropping. But the planning involved for success and competing private incentive programs have caused some to hesitate. Barton County Conservation District Manager Veronica Coons hopes a program offered through the Kansas Climate Smart Initiative will help.

In partnership with ADM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today recently announced the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) as a recipient of a grant to help farmers plant cover crops across Kansas. Awarded under NFWF’s Midwest Cover Crop Initiative, this grant will support implementation of this beneficial agricultural practice on 100,000+ acres. Kansas conservation districts will assist with implementation. Conservation districts will be taking applications for farmers to receive $10 per acre for planting cover crops on their farm. This program is eligible for farmers new to planting covers and those that are veterans to using cover crops in their crop rotations.  

“Cover crops can be implemented in a number of ways,” Coons said. “The rollout of this program will include some informal opportunities for farmers to get their questions answered.” 

Farmers who implement cover-crop systems may see improvements in long-term profitability through reduced input costs and higher yields. By accelerating the adoption of this practice, this grant will help enhance soil health, reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases, improve water resources, and support wildlife while providing economic benefits to participating farmers. 

For more information about this new opportunity contact Veronica Coons, Barton County Conservation District manager, at 620-792-3346, ext. 303.