2025 Row Crops to Prairies and Trees Incentive Payment Program

Establishing prairies or non-crop trees on corn or soybean row crop fields? Our incentive payment program can help you reach your goals!

We encourage you to look over the eligibility requirements and program steps prior to applying to confirm you’re eligible.

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Program Highlights

>Participants must farm in Iowa

> Participants can enroll up to 5% of the non-organic corn or soybean fields

> The program is stackable with any publicly funded cost-share programs

There are two incentive payment rates:

Rate 1: Only enrolling in PFI’s Row Crops to Prairies and Trees program

> $2,000 per acre, split over 3 years

> Year 1: $1,000 per acre

> Year 2 & 3: $500 per acre

Rate 2: Stacking with publicly funded cost-share program

> $1,000 per acre, split over 3 years

> Year 1: $500 per acre

> Year 2 & 3: $250 per acre

Eligibility Requirements

Participants must farm in Iowa.
Participant must establish native prairie or non-crop trees on a field where corn or soybean was grown in the preceding year.
Acres must be conventionally managed; certified organic acres are not eligible.
Acres can overlap with any publicly funded cost-share programs on a county, state, or federal level (ex. CRP, EQIP, etc.).
Acres cannot overlap with any privately funded cost-share program, such as a carbon market (ex. Indigo, SWOF, TruCarbon, ADM re:generations, etc.).
Native prairie seed mix requirement:
- > Seed mix must have a minimum of 20 species, with at least 10 forb species
- > Seeding rates must be at least 40 seeds/ft2
For both native prairie and non-crop trees, establishment must be completed by December 31 for 2025 enrollment.
For spring establishment, check back for 2026 enrollment period.
Established prairie or non-crop trees must be maintained for at least 3 years.
Participant must provide the following production information:

> FSA tract map and 578 certifications
>Tillage type and number of passes
>Total Nitrogen and/or manure application
> Yield of the field where the prairie or non-crop trees will be established

Program Steps

Have fields eligible for the program in 2025. See program eligibility guidelines to ensure your practices fit the program requirements.
Enroll in the program by October 31, 2025.
Book a consultation with a PFI habitat specialist.
Applications will be ranked in the first week of November using the criteria below. Final decisions will depend on funding availability and will be made at the discretion of PFI.
> Current PFI member
> Seed mix diversity exceeding 20 species for prairie establishment
> Percentage of the crop field conversion between 4.5-5.5%
> Crop history of corn or soybean in the last 4 years
> At least 4 years of yield data available on the field where prairie or trees are being established
Sign an agreement by November 14, 2025. Agreement and release of information must be signed within 30 days of PFI emailing it to you. This is a non-binding agreement between Practical Farmers of Iowa and the contract holder; you sign it online. If for some reason the contract conditions cannot be satisfied, the contract will be canceled with no cost-share paid on the enrolled acres and with no penalty to the contract holder. Note that contracts can be canceled through December 1, 2025.
Complete a production questionnaire by November 21, 2025.
Establish native prairie or non-crop trees by December 31, 2025.
Submit establishment documentation and a wrap-up survey with program feedback no later than January 15, 2025.
Receive complimentary one-year membership to Practical Farmers of Iowa. Membership will be gifted to the farm operator. If the participant is a non-operating landowner, the membership will be gifted to the tenant farmer. If the participant is the operator, the membership will be gifted to the participant. Learn more about membership benefits on our website. If you’d like family members to be included on your membership, please ensure their names are listed on your application.
Year 1 payment will be processed after all relevant paperwork is received and confirmed. Year 1 payment for 2025 enrollment will be processed by March 31, 2026. Year 2 and Year 3 payments will be processed in the following years after proof of maintenance is received and confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If the crop field isn’t currently growing corn or soybean but has in the past, and is marketing grains from previous harvest, is this field eligible?
A: No – the program funders are food and beverage companies that purchase corn and soybeans, so to be eligible, the field must be growing corn and soybeans at the time of the enrollment and throughout the participating years.

Q: Can the prairie be grazed in the fall and winter if livestock are turned out in the crop field to graze crop residue?
A: Once the prairie is established, it can be grazed occasionally in the fall and winter while the livestock is grazing on the crop residue as long as the prairie is not grazed intensively as a primary source of feed that might cause permanent damage.

Q: Are there prescribed burning or mowing requirements for prairie maintenance?
A: Mowing is required during the first growing season to ensure successful prairie establishment. Documentation of this establishment mowing will be required for the 2nd payment. Prescribed burning is not required for this program since this program’s commitment is for 3 years but it takes prairies about 3 years to establish and there likely won’t be enough biomass to burn. However, prescribed burning is one of the most effective methods to combat undesirable species and manage prairies. Read about prescribed burning for on-farm habitat management here.

For more information, contact our habitat viability manager by emailing grace(at)practicalfarmers(dot)org or by calling the office at (515) 232-5661.