Doug Leier: A new legacy for North Dakota

North Dakota’s “Governor’s Legacy Soil Health and Habitat Program” is drawing strong early interest, with 458 applications submitted during its first enrollment cycle. The program, launched through a $6.5 million Outdoor Heritage Fund grant approved in late 2025, offers five-year agreements with annual rental payments, cost-share support for establishing grass cover, and a crop insurance credit for converting unproductive cropland into grassland habitat. Administered by the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts, it includes the North Dakota Game and Fish Department as co-applicant. Nearly 20,000 acres are represented, and projects selected for 2026 are expected to cover more than 9,000 acres, alongside about 6,000 acres offered through PLOTS.