LINCOLN — A rural state senator called Tuesday for providing financial incentives for farmers to use less nitrogen fertilizer and help clean up the state’s groundwater.
Legislative Bill 1368, introduced by State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, would pay no less than $10 an acre for farmers who reduce their use of synthetic fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, and switch to “biological” alternatives, such as coating seeds with microbes that draw nitrogen from the air.
While no opponents testified against the bill during a public hearing Tuesday, Edison McDonald of GC Resolve, which advocates for rural communities and regenerative agriculture, testified neutral.
McDonald said the bill should also provide incentives for traditional farming practices that reduce nitrates, such as filter strips and cover crops. He added that more research needs to be done on the biological alternatives cited in the bill to ensure there are no unintended problems.