An ear of corn on Carrie Vollmer-Sanders' farm in Ohiol
Corn husk An ear of corn on Carrie Vollmer-Sanders' farm in Ohiol © Jason Lindsey

Food & Water Stories

Incentive Offer for Farm Landowners

Financial Incentive for Landowners Investing in Their Farms by Planting Cover Crops

Farms across America’s Heartland are increasingly using cover crops to help improve soil health and avoid erosion and nutrient loss. To help you work with your operator to plant cover crops, Purdue University and The Nature Conservancy are offering a financial incentive to landowners:

  • $1,500 for an agreement with your operator to plant cover crops

Landowners steward their land and support their operators to achieve shared goals such as productive soils and clean water. This financial incentive recognizes that being a good steward and doing something new takes time and resources. The financial incentive is intended to compensate you for taking the next step toward increasing the investment in your farm and soil health.

Getting your payment involves three easy steps:

  1. Sign the one-page contract after making an agreement with your operator to plant cover crops. To help make it easy to add cover crops to your lease, we have created a template for your use.
  2. Return the signed contract with a copy of your signed lease or lease addendum that incorporates cover crops. Envelopes must be postmarked by October 15, 2018. 
  3. The project team will process and return the signed contract with instructions for payment. Return the simple payment form, and the project team sends you a check!

For this offer, we ask you to commit to trying cover crops on a minimum of 40 acres. 

Please contact us if you intend to return a signed contract or if you need further information: (317) 643-0906 or farmland@tnc.org. Note: If demand for contracts exceeds supply of funds, landowners will be paid in the order that contracts are received. 

Download incentive offer and contract. or learn more about your local resources.