Budgeting for Prairie Strips

A prairie strip is a conservation practice that establishes a diverse mix of native perennial plant species in row-crop fields. Prairie strips have been shown to improve soil health, protect water quality, and provide habitat for pollinators, without reducing adjacent crop yields. Low yielding areas (<50% average yield) of the farm can be converted to prairie strips, potentially saving farmers money. This bulletin shows how to calculate where and how prairie strips can be a financial benefit to the farm operation.

The partial budget bulletin is available here and on the MiSTRIPS website. This bulletin includes a downloadable Excel spreadsheet which can be adjusted to accurately fit individual field operations. If you are interested in learning more about prairie strips or are considering installing them, please contact Elizabeth Schultheis, MiSTRIPS Program Coordinator (schulth5@msu.edu).