2025 Row Crops to Prairies and Trees Incentive Payment Program

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

Contact our habitat viability manager by emailing grace(at)practicalfarmers(dot)org or by calling the office at (515) 232-5661.

Program Highlights

> The total incentive payment rate is up to $2,000 per acre
> Payment will be split over 3 years, with 1 year payment rate up to $1,000 per acre, and 2nd and 3rd year payments rate up to $500 per acre
> Participants can enroll unlimited acres of non-organic corn or soybean fields

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.
Sign an agreement: 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 10, 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.

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: oSeed 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:
> Field map
> 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