Attention Ohio farmers. Ohio has a cost share program that helps cover the cost of cover crops. We’ve talked repeatedly about the need for cover crops for soil health, erosion prevention and proper drainage. The problem most farmers face is cost . No one enjoys the idea of paying for seeding their field more than necessary. It can quickly become too expensive and while essential, planting adequate cover crops is often the first expense cut out when budgets are tight (when are they not? Right?).
Seeing this budget shortfall and wanting to maintain Ohio’s diverse ecosystems and Ohio’s world-renowned fertile farmland, the state introduced the Ohio Working Lands Small Grain Program early last year. This program can provide farmers with as much as $75 an acre, helping reduce the cost of cover crops to Ohio farmers. As the name suggests this is for farms that grow small grains that include wheat, barley, oats, cereal rye, spelt, and triticale. Farmers must grow one, some or all these grains in order to receive the benefit.
This program also encourages the use of manure as fertilizer, rather than chemical fertilizers. If you are a livestock farmer, the state in encouraging you to work with neighboring grain farmers to provide them with the manure they need to qualify for the cost share.
You are probably asking, what do I need to do, to qualify? Here are the guidelines:
Click HERE to learn more about the program in an article from Sarah Schott at the Seneca Conservation District.