Working Lands Cover Crop program for farmers, ranchers

Crop and livestock producers in North Dakota are eligible to participate in a $5.75 million dollar cost-share plan funded by USDA’s Climate Smart Commodities program. The program, known as the Working Lands Cover Crop Initiative, targets demonstration sites in the following counties: Walsh, Pembina, Grand Forks, Cavalier, Towner, Benson, Ramsey, Nelson, Eddy, Wells and Foster in North Dakota and Kittson and West Polk counties in Minnesota.

The program pays crop producers to convert between 40 and 160 acres of cropland to full-season, multispecies cover crops for three (3) consecutive seasons, and it pays ranchers for incorporating livestock grazing on the enrolled cropland.

A crop producer with access to their own livestock can participate as an individual, or crop and livestock producers can participate as partners with one providing the cropland and the other providing the livestock grazing and haying.

The program is specifically designed to support beginning farmers and ranchers and other historically underserved producers, including women and military veterans, but all interested farmers and ranchers are encouraged to apply.

In addition to a competitive cost-share payment, the program also provides market support to farmers and ranchers to sell to local, regional and national markets in grassfed beef and premium hay. It will also offer education and outreach opportunities with experienced leaders for developing market strategies, soil health practices and more.

Interested producers should contact their local soil conservation district, or reach out to Josh Anderson at the Walsh County Three Rivers Soil Conservation District by calling 701-284-7363 or email at [email protected].