Ag Enhancement Program

Heavy Use Area Protection is used to stabilize a ground surface that is frequently and intensively used by people, animals, or vehicles.

Purpose: Provide a stable, non-eroding surface for areas frequently used by animals, people, or vehicles, to protect or improve water quality.

Cost share of $1.32 per foot up to 1500 square feet.

Establishing adapted and/or compatible species, varieties, or cultivars of herbaceous species suitable for pasture, or hay.

Purpose: Pasture reseeding, when properly done can establish adapted and compatible species or varieties of herbaceous plants suitable for pasture production. It can improve soil and water quality, reduce soil erosion, and improve or maintain livestock nutrition.

Limited to 15 acres with cost share of 60% not to exceed $125.00 per acre.

Establishing legume species within existing stands of grasses.

Purpose: To establish legume species within grassland areas to increase forage quality and quantity and to provide alternative forms of nitrogen fertilizer for cool season grasses.

Limited to 10 acres with a cost share of 60% not to exceed $25.00 per acre.

The removal or control of herbaceous weeds and woody plants including invasive, noxious, and prohibited plants.

Purpose: Enhance accessibility, quantity, and quality of forage and/or browse. Restore or release native or create desired plant communities and wildlife habitats consistent with the ecological site. Protect soil and control erosion. Reduce fine-fuels fire hazard and improve air quality.

Cost share is 100% cost of chemical only not to exceed $600.00.

A material whose Calcium and Magnesium compounds are capable of neutralizing soil acidity.

Purpose: Ideal soil acidity levels boost the nutrients in the soil that are available to plants, effectively increasing their nutrient supply. Liming most economical method of improving soil acidity. Soil test results within the last 3 years must be submitted at the time of application.

Cost share is 50% up to $50.00 per acre maximum of 50 acres.

Constructed barrier to animals or people.

Purpose: Improve distribution and timing of livestock grazing. Reduce erosion and improve water quality by controlling livestock access to streams, springs, wetlands and ponds. Facilitate handling, movement and feeding of livestock in a pasture environment. Cost share of $2.00 per foot for Barbed Wire or High

Tensile or $2.50 per foot for Woven Wire. Not to exceed $2,000.00.

Constructed barrier to animals.

Purpose: Improve distribution and timing of livestock grazing. Reduce erosion and improve water quality by controlling livestock access to streams, springs, wetlands and ponds. Facilitate handling, movement and feeding of livestock in a pasture environment.

Cost share of $2.00 / ft for Barbed Wire or High Tensile, or $2.50/ft for Woven Wire, not to exceed $2000.

The area will be seeded and maintained in permanent vegetative cover to enhance wildlife habitat and pollinator habitat.

Purpose: To increase habitat and food source for native, managed pollinators, and to help with the replacement of loss bees.

Pollinator planting cost share is for up to ¼ acres with 100% cost of the seed not to exceed $200. Seeds must be native to region, from a list of recommended seeds. Nucleus Colonies’ cost share is 75% up to $200.00 on two (2)-5 Frame Honeybee Nucleus Colonies with new queen. Bee houses cost share is up to $30 per cooperator.

Managing the amount (rate), source, placement (method of application), and timing of plant nutrients and soil amendments. To budget, supply, and conserve nutrients for plant production. To minimize agriculture non-point source pollution of surface and ground water resources. To maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil.

Cost-Share of 50% cost rate up to $150/acre not to exceed 25 acres.

Purpose: Aid urban landowners that are interested in agricultural practices. Provide soil and watershed protection by storm water management and soil erosion reduction. Encourage local grown foods.

Covers the payments for compost bins, low tunnels, straw mulch, soil, raised beds, rain barrels, urban deer fence, cover crop in high tunnels, cold frames & hotbeds, polywire fence, fertilizer, stakes & trellises, shade cloth, bluebird boxes, irrigation, landscape fabric, and lime, the maximum cost-share for this practice will be at a 50% rate up to $750.

A permanent device to provide an adequate amount and quality of drinking water for livestock and or wildlife. Collection of water from springs to provide water for a conservation need.

Purpose: To provide access to drinking water for livestock and/or wildlife to meet daily water requirements and improve animal distribution. Improve the quantity and/or quality of water for livestock, wildlife, or other agricultural uses.

Covers the payment for the components on one system at a fixed cost-share rate of $1,000 for the spring development, $1.32 sq. ft. for heavy-use protection, $900 for a concrete trough, $500 for a tire trough or $800 2-hole frost free, $900 reservoir and $2.09 per pipeline ft.