Heartland Virtual Fence Project (University of Missouri)

Helps beef cattle producers in Missouri and Nebraska adopt virtual fence collars and adaptive grazing. MU pays $100 per collar purchased plus up to $1,500 for an approved consultant to design water systems, native forage seeding or similar practices; Cultivo, the GRACI enrollment partner, pays a $2,500 sign-up incentive and $2 per enrolled acre per year for up to five years for reporting. Enrollment is by application and is currently paused while the team reviews applications.

• Beef cattle producers in Missouri or Nebraska

• Minimum herd enrollment of 25 collars, maximum 500 collars per operation (subject to change)

• Collars must be purchased from one of the listed virtual fence companies

• Enrolled acres cannot be in a commercial carbon program at the same time

• Applications prioritized that show how virtual fence will improve grazing management and grassland stewardship and best meet GRACI objectives

Collar cost share paid on a photo of cattle wearing the collars plus a paid purchase receipt. Cultivo reporting payments require an annual grazing-management report. Payment numbers are subject to change.

Published amounts: $100 per collar of cost share for each collar purchased under the program. Enrollees can request additional support up to $1,500 to pay for an approved consultant. Cultivo: a sign-up incentive of $2,500 paid upon enrollment; an annual reporting payment of $2 per enrolled acre each year for up to five years. Minimum herd enrollment per operation is 25 collars and the maximum is 500 collars.

The application form is closed while the team reviews the backlog; producers can fill out the interest form (https://forms.gle/na2iq4xUnBVH6AKn9) to be notified when it reopens. Invited applicants enroll through an in-person or virtual appointment and sign producer agreements with both Cultivo and MU.

Deadline text on the page: Due to high interest, we have closed the application form to give our team time to review. If you would like to be notified when the application period opens again, please fill out this interest form.