$15 Per Acre: Practical Farmers of Iowa Launches Cover Crop Cost-Share Program
Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) is now accepting applications for its 2026 cover crop cost-share program. Eligible farmers in six Midwest states, including Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, can receive $15 per acre on an unlimited number of acres of fall-seeded cover crops.
The program aims to offset the upfront cost of planting cover crops, which can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and suppress weeds. Over 2,400 farmers received $10 million in PFI cost-share funds last year to plant cover crops on more than 900,000 acres.
Farmers who participate must establish a cover crop that precedes a corn or soybean crop the following spring. Eligible cover crops can be single species or multi-species mixes, and seeding rates are at the farmer's discretion.
The application process takes about 15-20 minutes to complete, and enrollment is first-come, first-served. The deadline for applications is not specified in the article, but farmers who did not grow corn in 2026 may still be eligible if they include corn in their crop rotation.