06/15/2026
Our CDI resolution was submitted on behalf of the Webster County Soil and Water Conservation District commissioners. Our resolution is a formal proposal to suggest change in conservation, policy, and funding.
Knowing that it is a hassle getting out your combine twice a year, our goal with this resolution is to establish an incentive for No-Till adoption utilizing corn stubble for snow retention. This would not replace the DOT standing corn snow fence program but instead add an alternative while also incentivizing no-till adoption.
STATEMENT: Corn growers have long recognized the agronomic and environmental benefits of no till practices, including improved soil health, reduced erosion, and enhanced moisture retention. Additionally emerging observations suggests that corn stubble in no till systems may provide measurable public safety benefits by capturing and retaining snow, thereby reducing snow drift onto roadways. This potential dual benefit-to both agricultural sustainability and roadway safety-warrants further evaluation.
ACTION: CDI supports expanding adoption of these practices through targeted incentives.
CDI requests that the Department of Transportation (DOT) initiate and fund a comprehensive research program to assess the effectiveness of corn stubble in no-till systems as a snow retention strategy compared to traditional standing corn snow fences.
This research should evaluate impacts on snow drift reduction, roadway safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Pending the results of this research, CDI further requests that the DOT develop and implement a voluntary incentive program to compensate farmers who maintain corn stubble for snow retention purposes. Compensation should be equitable and comparable to existing payments for similar roadside safety and snow management.
