466.4 - CONSERVATION BUFFER STRIP PROGRAM.

        466.4  CONSERVATION BUFFER STRIP PROGRAM.         1.  As used in this section, "conservation buffer strip" means      a riparian buffer, filter strip, waterway, contour buffer strip,      shallow water area for wildlife, field border, or any vegetative      barrier on private land that meets the criteria established by the      United States department of agriculture, natural resources      conservation service.         2. a.  The department of agriculture and land stewardship, in      consultation with the department of natural resources, shall      establish a program to accelerate the United States department of      agriculture's program to install conservation buffer strips in this      state.         b.  The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall      request waivers from the United States department of agriculture to      initiate projects that reward landowners maintaining current      conservation practices.  The goal of the projects is to discourage      the destruction of existing conservation buffer strips and to      monetarily reward landowners who maintain quality conservation      practices.  If the waivers are granted, up to twenty-five percent of      the program resources shall be committed to establishing projects.         c.  The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall      request a waiver from the United States department of agriculture for      the purpose of establishing that a person who is subject to a      twenty-five percent reduction in conservation buffer strip payments      due to grazing shall be allowed ninety days to graze animals.         d.  The department of natural resources shall establish a      prairie seed harvest program to assist in the restoration of prairies      and provide for private land stewardship and public resource      management through assistance with the implementation of buffer and      filter strip practices, and public or private habitat development and      management.  The department shall carry out these efforts through      landowner contacts and cooperation with private and public      organizations.         e.  The five-year goal of the conservation buffer strip      program shall be to meet the objective of water quality improvement      by enrolling an additional four hundred seven thousand five hundred      acres.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2000 Acts, ch 1068, §4