$1 Million Available for Producers who Demonstrate Nitrogen Efficiency

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Agriculture producers have a new opportunity this growing season to earn extra income while cutting fertilizer costs.

The Nebraska Corn Board has committed $1 million to a new Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) Program, offering payments to farmers who have demonstrated nitrogen efficiency during the 2026 growing season.

“The Nebraska Nitrogen Use Efficiency Program was funded to encourage farmers to reduce nitrogen inputs and achieve greater efficiencies in their operations,” said Brandon Hunnicutt, Nebraska Corn Board chairman and farmer from Giltner, Nebraska. “As we invest in initiatives that strengthen our role as responsible stewards of the land, we are also focused on improving profitability amid volatile market conditions. Every dollar and every acre counts, and this program equips farmers with practical opportunities to optimize their practices for better economic and environmental outcomes.”

The program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE) in partnership with Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs), will pay $15 per acre for up to 160 acres per application, for producers who achieve a nitrogen use efficiency score of 1.0 or less.

NUE measures how effectively a crop converts available nitrogen (N) into harvest grain yield. It accounts for applied nitrogen (commercial fertilizer) and credited nitrogen, which includes nitrogen from soil, water, cover crops, and manure applications.

Using an NUE metric that incorporates credited nitrogen helps producers evaluate how efficiently they are using all the nitrogen sources within the system. These insights help guide smarter nutrient management decisions that strengthen farm profitability while protecting water quality.

Participant Requirements

• Collect soil samples prior to 2026 planting season or the fall of 2025 to determine residual soil nitrate and organic matter.
• Collect a water sample during irrigation season to determine residual water nitrate (if applicable).
• Collect a manure sample prior to planting to determine manure nitrogen (if applicable)

How to Apply
Producers can apply by contacting their local Natural Resources District (NRD) for more information and assistance with the application process. Find your NRD at www.nrdnet.org. The deadline to apply for the program is May 15, 2026.

The NUE Program follows the Corn Board’s previous $1 million investment in the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NiRIA) program in October 2025. NiRIA provides financial incentives for producers to cut commercial fertilizer applications by either 40 pounds/acre, or by 15% of their baseline rate. The NiRIA application period for the 2026 growing season closed Dec. 15, 2025.

Producers who successfully participated in the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NiRIA) program are ineligible for the NUE program.

The Nebraska Corn Board is funded through a producer checkoff investment of one-cent-per-bushel on all corn marketed in the state and is managed by nine farmer directors.The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board is to increase the value and sustainability of Nebraska corn through promotion, market development and research.

The Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), the trade association for Nebraska's 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRD), works with individual districts to protect lives, property and the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. NRDs are unique to Nebraska, and act as local government entities with broad responsibilities to protect Nebraska’s natural resources. Major Nebraska river basins form the boundaries of the 23 NRDs, enabling districts to respond to local conservation and resource management needs. Learn more about Nebraska’s NRDs at www.nrdnet.org.