Photo: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
(Iowa) -- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announces a new, targeted water conservation program.
The Greater Des Moines Watershed Program is an initiative to improve water conservation practices in 22 counties upstream of the Des Moines metro. The program's first phase will enhance incentives for new and existing cover crop users including cost-share assistance of up to $25 dollars an acre for up to 500 acres.
Counties included in the expanded cost-share incentive program include:
- Audubon
- Boone
- Buena Vista
- Calhoun
- Carroll
- Clay
- Dallas
- Dickinson
- Emmet
- Green
- Guthrie
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Humboldt
- Kossuth
- Palo Alto
- Pocahontas
- Polk
- Sac
- Webster
- Winnebago
- Wright.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing $2.5 million dollars with the goal of doubling cover crop adoption in the watershed. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says additional conservation incentives will be announced in the coming weeks.