Lower Platte South NRD (LPSNRD) and Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) are partnering to offer a new cost-share program to further assist producers in adopting practices or products that encourage a reduction of applied nitrogen fertilizer. The requirements of NiRIA are that producers verify a reduction in nitrogen fertilizer application rates as the lesser of 40 pounds per acre or 15% of their baseline application rate. Examples of practices and products that are known to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application rates are located on the NiRIA application form. Eligible fields include those which will be planted to corn in 2025.

The following priority areas have been established by LPSNRD for funding through the NiRIA as provided by LB1368 which was passed by the Legislature and signed into law in April 2024. NiRIA will be open for the 2025 growing season and is scheduled to terminate on December 31, 2029. Total funding available for the program is capped at $1 million. The $1 million will be split accordingly among Nebraska NRDs based upon existing priority areas. The current allotment set aside for LPSNRD is $26,089.64.

Priority A areas include fields that are located within an LPSNRD designated Wellhead Protection Area/Community Water System Protection Area or any Phase II/III Ground Water Management Area of LPSNRD. Payment rates for priority A areas will be $15/acre.

Priority B areas include LPSNRD certified irrigated acres that do not lie within a designated Wellhead Protection Area/ Community Water System Protection Area or any Phase II/III Groundwater Management Area of LPSNRD. Payment rates for priority B areas will be $12/acre.

Priority C areas include the dryland crop ground acres that do not lie within a designated Wellhead Protection Area/ Community Water System Protection Area or any Phase II/III Ground Water Management Area of LPSNRD. Payment rates for priority C areas will be $10/acre.

Applications will be accepted chronologically based on the date submitted. The application due date is January 15, 2025.

To receive payment, landowners must submit all documentation by January 15, 2026. This includes records of nitrogen sources applied to the field, the method used for nitrogen reduction, reported yield, and relevant documentation of advanced technology practices, if applicable.

Application Process

To apply, landowners must submit a completed application by January 15, 2025, that includes:

1. Completed Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act Program Application that includes the method used to achieve nitrogen reduction.

2. Documentation of previous baseline nitrogen application rates and sources of nitrogen fertilizer for the applied field.

3. Soil test for the applied field. LPSNRD has soil sampling cost-share available. The LPSNRD soil sampling method includes the collection of one soil sample for each field ranging from 10 and 40 acres, or each 40-acre area within a larger field. Soil samples for each 40 acres must include at least the following minimum components:

1. One shallow composite sample consisting of 10-15 individual samples, randomly collected from a depth of 0-8 inches and mixed together.
2. One deep composite sample consisting of 6-8 individual samples, randomly collected from a depth of 8-30 inches and mixed together.
3. Analysis can include a full set of tests for the shallow sample and only nitrate testing for the deep sample.
4. Cooperators must provide an aerial photo of each sampled farm/field, indicating which fields were sampled, who collected the soil samples, and a lab copy of the results.

4. U.S. Citizenship and W-9 Forms.

Payment Process

Landowners must submit the following information by January 15, 2026, to receive payment:

1. Documentation of all nitrogen fertilizer sources applied to the field.

2. Method, practices, or products that were implemented for nitrogen reduction.

3. Reported yield for the field where nitrogen was applied.

4. Documentation of advanced technology practices used for nitrogen reduction, if applicable.

5. Soil sampling results.

6. Manure sampling results, if applicable, along with biosolid application information, if relevant.