From improving soil health to reducing tillage practices, conservation management techniques make sound economic sense to Noah Wendt.
The farmer near Huxley, Iowa, grows 1,800 acres of organic and transition-to-organic corn and soybeans in partnership with Caleb Akin. Their A&W Farms operation also includes 1,000 acres of non-organic farmland that is planted to cover crops and then rotated traditionally to corn and soybeans each year.
Neither Wendt nor Akin was raised on a farm, but that has not stopped the first-generation growers from taking a keen interest in protecting both the land and water that supports their operation.
“We use a lot of cost-share practices,” Wendt says. “I think they’re important. Depending on the program, we’re ranging anywhere from getting half to almost 100% of our cover crop paid for.”
While Wendt cooperates with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in some programs, he says privately funded cost-share programs like those available through Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) specifically benefit their operation’s cover crop initiative.
“If you get into a year where cash crop margins are lean, it certainly is beneficial to have that financial help on cover crops and conservation practices,” Wendt says.
Where to Start
Cost-share opportunities help Wendt and Akin meet their conservation goals, but they know that figuring out where to start might prevent some from participating.
Wendt says implementing cover crops and exploring available cost-share programs are a great place for farmers to start when looking to step-up their stewardship practices.
“I think it helps to facilitate the transition to other conservation practices that come along after that, as in no-till, nutrient reduction, and other benefits,” Wendt says.
Privately funded cost-share practices like those available through PFI also provide farmers with technical support.
According to PFI Senior Programs and Member Engagement Director Sarah Carlson, the group offers one-on-one agronomy advice as well as networking opportunities. “The core idea is that the farmer is always leading. They can ask questions about very practical things such as how to get the cover crop planted. The benefit is that they hear directly from other farmers.”
Carlson adds that a big challenge in farming is the inability to control what is made when a crop is marketed. Having an open mind can be key to a farmer’s success with conservation practices and cost-share programs.
“The only leverage a farmer has is controlling costs,” Carlson explains. “The only way to control costs is by not buying inputs. Crop covers and small grains help farmers control their input costs. It’s a way to get off the treadmill and get some power back.”
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