Iowa Cover Crop Enrollment Nears 300,000 Acres

More than 300,000 acres in the Greater Des Moines Watershed were enrolled in Iowa's state cover crop cost-share programs in 2026, nearly tripling the 109,000 acres enrolled across the watershed's 22 counties in 2025.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the initial enrollment results on September 2 during the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.

The Greater Des Moines Watershed Program was established to encourage farmers and landowners to plant cover crops to improve water quality in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.

Statewide, cover crop enrollment through state cost-share programs also surpassed 1 million acres for the first time, up from 700,000 acres in 2025.

Additional Funding for Working Lands Program

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship also announced an additional $2.1 million for the Cattle and Conservation Working Lands Program through the end of 2026.

The program's funding had been fully obligated to Iowa livestock producers within 10 days of an expansion announced at the Iowa State Fair. It is currently offered in 28 counties.

The program is designed to improve water quality, keep working lands in production, and increase Iowa's beef herd by helping farmers convert underperforming row crop acres into pasture and hay ground.

Naig said the enrollment results from the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program demonstrate demand for conservation efforts and said he plans to ask the Iowa Legislature to provide additional funding to expand the Working Lands Program statewide during the 2027 legislative session.

“The Greater Des Moines Watershed Program shows what we can accomplish when we have dedicated resources and intentionally focus on fields in parts of the state that can have a significant impact on water quality,” said Secretary Naig. “It also reinforces that farmers are eager to embrace responsible farming practices to protect their land for future generations, and they want to be part of the ongoing work to improve Iowa’s water quality.

Based on the success of the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program, I will ask the Iowa Legislature to provide additional funding to expand the Working Lands Program statewide during the 2027 Legislative session. There’s no finish line when it comes to conservation, meaning there’s always more work to do, and we’ve got to keep this momentum going.”

Watershed Program Funding

Funding for the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program came through the Farm to Faucet package passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2026 session. Gov. Reynolds also allocated remaining State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to expand water quality projects in the Greater Des Moines Watershed.

The programs provide cost-share opportunities for farmers and landowners participating in eligible conservation practices. Additional information about the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program and eligible cost-share programs is available through Clean Water Iowa and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.