New Program Funds Field Borders for Wildlife

Source: Lancaster Farming, October 13, 2023

Pheasants Forever launched the Field Border Incentive Program, which pays farmers to set aside the borders of crop fields to give a boost to wildlife and the Chesapeake Bay.

The program pays farmers to plant perennial grass and wildflower cover along the edges of crop field edges.

These areas are usually low-yielding because of shading and competition from trees, but paying farmers to turn edges into wildlife habitat could help farmers financially.

The program is funded by a $500,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Farms are eligible for the program in the watersheds for these creeks in eastern Pennsylvania — Catawissa, Fishing, Little Swatara, Mahanoy, Mahantango, Roaring, Shamokin, Swatara and Wiconisco. The watersheds are in Berks, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties.

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