Payment program
Row Crops to Prairies and Trees Incentive Payment Program
Practical Farmers of Iowa
What you can get
$2,000/acre total if enrolled only in PFI program (Year 1 $1,200/acre; Years 2-5 $200/acre); $1,000/acre total ($200/acre/year) when stacked with public cost-share • Per acre over a five-year agreement
- Readiness
- Prep docs first
- Who can apply
- producer, Iowa farmers converting conventionally managed row crop acres to native prairie or trees
- Coverage
- IA
- Deadline & timing
- Due September 30, 2026. Official page: Application Deadline: 09/30/2026 for the current (fall/winter 2026 establishment) enrollment. Year 1 payment processed by March 31, 2027 after establishment is confirmed; years 2-5 paid by March 31 of following years after proof of maintenance.
- Eligibility
- Established prairie or trees must be maintained for at least five years. Prairie seed mix must have at least 20 species with at least 10 forbs (CRP CP25, CP42, CP43 equivalents eligible). Lower rate applies when stacked with a publicly funded cost-share program.
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Optional expert service · $249
Turn program research into an application package.
An eligibility screen for one farm, a shortlist of up to three relevant programs, and draft practice justifications and a document checklist for one selected application. Delivered within 7 business days after intake.
Last verified Sep 14, 2026. Always confirm current terms and deadlines on the official site before applying.
Plan your next step
Run a quick soil assessment or ask an agronomist how this program fits your fields.