A bill for an act providing for a pilot program to reduce the use of commercial nitrogen-based fertilizers to produce crops, and making appropriations.

HF 942 creates a four-year pilot program in Iowa to help farmers reduce commercial nitrogen-based fertilizer use. It offers financial incentives of at least $5 per acre to participating farmers who use approved alternative products (like nitrogen-fixing soil conditioners or biofertilizers) to meet a goal of lowering fertilizer rates by up to 15% or 30 pounds per acre. The program, administered by the state’s soil conservation division, is funded with $2 million annually starting in 2025 and requires participants to maintain records of their methods and results. The program will end in 2030, with a final report due in 2029.