David Turnis, of rural Bernard, Iowa, is like many young farmers: A leg up can make a world of difference as he grows his operation.

Already interested in utilizing cover crops in his fields, Turnis became a participant of the first year of Dubuque County Watersheds’ Drone Cover Crop Program in 2024.

“The program was zero cost to me, so as a beginning farmer, I thought that was a wonderful way to get these cover crops implemented … because it does add up when you figure the acres,” Turnis, 28, said. “Especially for a young guy.”

The program, which Turnis utilized to plant cover crops on a portion of his 750 acres, received such an influx of interest that this year’s iteration is expanding.

Dubuque County Watersheds is taking applicants for 2025. The program’s goal is to help farmers curb soil erosion and enhance soil fertility by dispatching drone operators to drop cover crop seeds over standing corn and soybeans in the fall.

Last year, buy-in was vast, with around 8,500 Dubuque County acres enrolled in the program. Scott Hendricks, a conservation agronomist with Dubuque County Watersheds, said now that he and his colleagues better understand the program’s capacity, it can grow.

“We know (the capacity) can be higher,” Hendricks told the Telegraph Herald. “We understand more now how the program will work. We’re looking at between 15,000 and 20,000 acres (in 2025).”

The cover crops are dropped over corn and bean fields between Aug. 1 and Oct. 15. Plantings include rye, daikon radishes, red clover and oats.

Turnis, who has farmed since 2018, said his fields feature rolling hills.

He grazes stock cows on the cover crops over the winter months and the crops’ root systems help his fields retain topsoil.

The cover crop program limits participants to 200 acres each. To participate this year, producers must pay a $10-per-acre entry fee that also covers membership to Dubuque County Watersheds’ Farmer-to-Farmer program, which brings local producers together to share expertise on conservation strategies like no-till, cover crops and rotational grazing.

The program recently named a board of directors and is seeking its own nonprofit status.

Hendricks said around 12,000 acres — and 90 different producers — have signed up so far this year.

The program is funded by a five-year regional conservation program grant overseen by Wisconsin-based Sand County Foundation. The nonprofit focuses on supporting conservation initiatives with farmers and ranchers across the U.S.

“It’s good to see this much interest,” said Craig Ficenec, of Sand County Foundation, who is managing the grant for the Dubuque County program. “We hope this helps get more farmers comfortable in seeding over crops.”

Ficenec said his organization — which has primarily focused its local efforts in Wisconsin and Illinois — chose to allocate some of its grant funding in Dubuque County in part due to the Farmer-to-Farmer program.

“That’s a program we are looking to support,” Ficenec said. “There is long-term benefit when you have buy-in and farmer engagement.”

Those interested in the program can contact Hendricks at 563-213-8388 or Scott.Hendricks@dubuquecountyiowa.gov or Allisen Freihage at 563-451-7171 or Allisen.Freihage@dubuquecountyiowa.gov.