A harvestable buffer, or field border, is a strip of grass that can be harvested and utilized while also providing an environmental benefit by capturing sediment, nutrients, and pesticides. These buffers can consist of either cool-season (ex. Brome) or native prairie (ex. Big Blue Stem) grass mixes.
How it works:
Eligible cropland includes
- Fields adjacent to sinkholes or fractured bedrock at the surface. These features may occur completely within the boundaries of a field.
- End rows around cropped field for access to buffers or an agreed upon route to access features completely contained within a field boundary.
- Fields adjacent to perennial or intermittent streams
- “Concentrated Flow Channels” as identified by the Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department or Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Department.
Learn more buffer strips on NRCS website.