Drivers in rural Iowa may wonder why there are some rows of corn, left standing all winter.
A program with the Department of Transportation may have something to do with it.
The DOT partners with farmers, willing to leave some corn standing during the winter to serve as snow fences, and reduce the amount of snow blowing and drifting across roads. Round bales are also used in ths program.
The DOT recently updated the "standing corn" program, to pay farmers $2 over market value per bushel of corn for leaving eight to 16 rows standing in a field, that might reduce snow on a nearby road. The DOT pays landowners $1 per linear foot for round bales.
The DOT has found specific corn hybrids have performed better than others in the end rows. They hope that by getting the word out now, farmers will make plans for next year.
Farmers can remove the corn as they see fit, once the season is over.
The DOT says leaving the corn in the field in strategic locations decreases the amount of maintenance needed by snow-plow crews.
More information is available on line at https://iowadot.gov/districts/district-contacts.