MANHATTAN —  The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Conservation announces the availability of the FY 2020 Irrigation Technology Initiative. This initiative is designed to promote irrigation efficiency by providing cost-share assistance to landowners for automated soil moisture probes. 

Through the Irrigation Technology Initiative, $132,500 is available in cost-share funds to assist landowners with irrigation efficiency technology. The funds will be directed toward areas of the state with a significant focus on water conservation: $75,000 of the initiative funds will be designated to applications in the Rattlesnake Creek priority areas, and the remaining initiative funds will be designated to land located within Water Conservation Areas approved by the KDA Division of Water Resources.  

Applications must be approved prior to the purchase of soil moisture probes, and the cost-share rate will be 70%. Eligible soil moisture probes can be leased or purchased by the landowner and must be automated and capable of providing data to the landowner. 

Landowners can apply for the FY 2020 Irrigation Technology Initiative cost share through their local conservation districts. You can find a directory of conservation districts at agriculture.ks.gov/ConservationDistricts. Applications will be accepted through March 6, 2020. KDA cannot guarantee adequate funds will be available to fund all eligible applications. 

If you have questions regarding the FY 2020 Irrigation Technology Initiative, contact Dave Jones at 785-564-6623 or David.Jones@ks.gov.