Landowner Assistance

Soil and water conservation practices installed on agricultural land save soil from eroding and reduce nutrients and pesticides from entering Missouri’s waterways. The Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax provides financial incentives and share the cost between the farmer and the state for implementing soil and water conservation practices that prevent or control soil erosion and protect water quality.

General Landowner Requirements for Receiving Cost-Share

  • A cooperator (landowner/operator) must have a farm number through the Farm Service Agency in order to be eligible to sign-up for a cost-share contract.
  • The cooperator must have an approved conservation plan which includes the requested practice before the contract is approved.
  • A cost-share contract must be board approved before the conservation practice is started.

State Cost-Share Resource Concern Categories and Associated Practices

Not all districts offer every practice listed above. Please contact your local soil and water conservation district to see what is available.

We are here to serve the landowners and land users in Stone County by providing technical, educational and financial resources in conserving soil and water resources. This district office has been serving Stone County since 1965. Every year, dollars are earmarked for qualified landowners for implementing best land management practices on their property.

State cost-share is a great opportunity to improve pastures by establishing or improving forage stands while controlling erosion, implementing proper grazing systems and practices for maximizing production and minimizing cost. The following are available cost-share practices:

Permanent Vegetative Cover Establishment- Complete re-establishment of forage on fields experiencing excessive erosion. State average cost is $102.93/ac for pasture seeding, plus nutrients.  NWSG planting $214.43/ac. (NEW)

Permanent Vegetative Cover Improvement- Inter-seeding legumes to improve vegetative cover on fields experiencing excessive erosion. State average cost is $29.32/ac for seeding only, plus nutrients and spreading.

Cover Crops- Cropland acres where row crops are grown and soil erosion needs to be prevented or water quality and soil health improved. State average cost is $30/ac for one or two species crop cover mix, or $40/ac for three or more species cover crop mix with a lifetime maximum total payment of $20,000 per operator.

Use Exclusion- protects existing woodlands and riparian corridors for excessive erosion due to livestock grazing, state average cost is $2.03/ft for installation of barbed wire fence and $1.01/ft for installation of two strand electric fence.

Planned Grazing System Practices-

  • Water Development: provides 75% cost-share for components needed for a well to service a planned grazing system up to a max of $110/ac served by the water source.
  • Water Distribution: provides 75% cost-share to distribute water up to a max of $120/ac. Components including pipe, trenching, tanks, hydrants and labor
  • Fence: provides 75% cost-share for interior cross fencing need for the installation of an intensive grazing system with a max of $70/ac for fencing cost.
  • Application of lime according to soil test: limited to a max of $50/ac and $.0368/lb ENM, eligible items include lime, hauling and spreading.
  • Inter-seed legumes in paddocks of a qualified grazing system up to $29.32 per acre seeded

Water Quality-  Programs to install permanent fence along streams to exclude livestock from or limit success reducing sediment, organic material and chemicals from entering streams. cost- share for fence and charger, labor and for buffers, trees/ shrubs. Also a $500 to $1200 per acre incentive. Up to $3,500 for cost of well plus 75% on pressure tank, pump & well house if needed to replace livestock water.

Nutrient Management- incentive to encourage the adoption of new management technology for applying manure and fertilizer- per soil test, $20/ac with a max of 150 ac/yr. $10,000 cap 

Pest Management- incentive for proper application of pesticides following a management plan, requires rotational grazing of livestock, $10/ac with a max of 160 ac/yr. $5,000 cap

All of the SWCD cost share payments will be direct deposited into the landowner's bank account.