Cover Crop Programs

The “Toledo Water Crisis” has brought additional attention to the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) over the past few weeks.  With that attention, funding for additional Phosphorous Reduction programs is coming our way.  There are currently 4 different programs available to Wood County farmers/land owners.

Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control (Beth Landers)
            Location: South & East Branches of the Portage River Watershed
            Payment: $25
            Acres you can enroll: Unlimited
            Total Acres for the Program: 4000
            Sign-Up: Now thru End of November
- Limited paperwork
- Can start today
- Cover Crop can winter kill
- First come first serve
- Crop/Residue cannot be harvested

Lake Erie Nutrient Reduction Program (Jeremy Gerwin)
            Location: Wood County
            Payment: $25
            Acres you can enroll: 50
            Total Acres for the Program: 1000
            Sign-Up: Now thru October 15, 2014 or until 1000 acres are met
- Limited Paperwork
- Can start today
- Must plant a cover crop that will over winter
- First come first serve

Conservation Action Project Cover Crop Program (Ed Crawford)
            Location: Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Paulding, Williams and Wood Counties
            Payment: $25
            Acres you can enroll: 20
            Total Acres for the Program: 400 Acres or 20 applicants
            Sign-Up: Now thru September 30^th
- Limited Paperwork
- Must plant/establish before November 1, 2014 and kept living until March 1, 2015
- Priority given to first time applicants
- Payments will be made after March 1 verificationThis program has reached its funding limit at this time.

Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorous Reduction (Kelly Hardison)
            Location: Wood County
            Payment: $40-70
            Acres you can enroll: Unlimited
            Total Acres for the Program: 1000-1500/county additional $ subject to availability
            Sign-Up: Now thru Aug.26^th (subject to change)
- Additional Paperwork beyond application including FSA maps of where you intend to plant this Fall
- Cannot begin until a signed contract has been received
- Varies depending on crop but latest planting date is November 2, 2014
- Must be kept until March 15, 2015
- People who have done cover crops in the past will be considered on a case by case basis
- Cannot be harvested for a grain crop