Southern Iowa Land Use Conversion Project

Now Funded through December 2027

Why Taylor County?

In 2016, Taylor County SWCD began a 3-year Water Quality Initiative project unlike any other in the state.  Following the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, Taylor County is focusing on their landscape and how growers can fully utilize the land they farm. The rolling hills, multiple soil types within a single field, gullies, and thin soils on side hills have all been known to lower yields and crop production for the main commodity crops, corn and soybeans in the county.  Not all farm ground is created equal and should not be farmed the same. Knowing this, the SWCD Commissioners have decided to take matters in their own hands and deliver alternatives to their growers.

Project Success–Expanding to Multiple Counties

To date, over 6,000 acres and over 300 fields have been part of the Taylor County WQI project. More than 100 producers have made positive land management changes. In 2021, Taylor County SWCD partnered with Page County SWCD and continued helping growers consider alternatives to farming marginal acres across southern Iowa.

In 2024, Cherokee, Woodbury, Ida, and Carroll Counties were added to create the Iowa Working Lands Project to continue to help spread this partnership through Iowa. Focusing on livestock practices, this project is funded with federal dollars through an RCPP (Regional Conservation Partnership Project) and administered through Iowa Dept of Agriculture.

Dollars and Sense

Partnering with EFC Systems and their web-based FieldAlytics tool, producers can virtually see where working capital can be reallocated to maximize ROI and make more profitable and sustainable land management decisions. In other words, using this tool, producers can create and compare scenarios on their fields to determine which practices, rotations, or land management changes maximizes their ROI.

“Farm the best, regenerate the rest” is a message that fits this project to a “T”.  The goal of the Taylor County WQI project is to seed down marginal crop acres that have historically been unproductive and unprofitable to ultimately farm only “the best”.   To do so, the SWCD is offering financial incentives to help make land management changes on marginal acres.  

Crop to Hay or Pasture

The Crop to Hay or Pasture practice takes current row crop or expiring CRP acres located on these marginal sidehills and seeds them down to a 5-year pasture or hay field for an incentive payment of $58/ac/year. With no maximum acres per producer, the incentive will target the “worst of the worst” of the marginal cropland.  As these fields are being seeded down, a living root will be in the fields year-long which will help reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss. For those utilizing the seeding for grazing, it will add nutrients and help the local cattle producer operations in the county; when livestock stay, people stay.  With soil and nutrients remaining in the fields, microbial activity will increase, building up the soil health.

The Summer Fall Grazer

The Summer Fall Grazer is offered at $80/ac with 40 acres maximum per year and will encourage a third crop and livestock grazing.  Incorporating small grains, summer seeding with fall grazing mix, and cover crops through a 3-year rotation will provide another alternative for growers. With this 3-year option, growers can still farm their cash crops while providing cover and grazing to help reduce soil and nutrient loss.

An example of this rotation is the following:

Fall 2022:         Small Grain Crop: Wheat, Rye, Triticale (Hay or Combine)

                         Must overwinter, leave as much straw for soil health purposes

Summer 2023 : Diverse Summer/Fall Grazer                

                          Graze in the fall—not hay                                               

                          Some of the mix should overwinter

Spring 2024:    Plant cash crop

Fall 2024:         Cover Crop

Spring 2025:    Plant cash crop

The Calving Covers

Sacrificial pastures and calving lots are typically left uncovered and unprotected during the summer months when livestock are out to pasture. With no maximum acres per producer per year at $65/ac, this practice will provide a soil-building cover crop when livestock leave for the pasture and will later be grazed when they return in the fall. Reducing soil erosion and providing a healthy forage will help improve these acres which are typically compacted and abused during winter months. It may also be used as warm season paddock to establish grazing opportunities during dry spells.

The Pasture System

Grazing pastures are a missing link in land use conversions. With this practice offering $1,000/ac for a 5-year seeding, taking row crop or expiring CRP and investing in a more permanent rotational grazing system is one alternative that will help regenerate those marginal acres. Rotating livestock through a paddock system maximizes grass production and profitability, which is why this project will also provide cost share assistance in creating a full grazing system, including forage, brush management, water, and paddocks on existing pasture or helping establish new pasture.

Why Cover Crops?

Cover crops are an excellent opportunity to keep a living root available for soil microbes to thrive and build organic matter. The healthier the soil, the healthier the crop.

Example Summer Fall Grazer mix planted after small grain harvest:

  • Legumes: crimson clover (cool season), cowpeas (warm season), sunn hemp (ws)
  • Grasses: oats (cs), triticale (cs)
  • Brassicas: radish (cs), forage collards, (cs)
  • Broadleaves: buckwheat (ws), sunflower (ws)

Interested in participating?

Complete and return the application form by April 1st for spring seedings or August 1st for fall/late summer seedings.

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