McHenry County increases compensation for Living Snow Fence Program

McHenry County is increasing compensation and options for farmers wishing to participate in the Division of Transportation’s Living Snow Fence Program.

Starting this winter, the payment for farmers participating in the program will double to $2,000 an acre. In addition to rows of corn, farmers will be able to use other natural barriers, such as sweet sorghum, hay bales and silage bags to serve as barriers against blowing and drifting snow.

Participating farmers help keep county highways clear in the winter by planting rows of corn or placing natural barriers at the edge of their fields to catch snow before it can blow onto the road. A typical corn-row snow fence is 1,100 feet long and 16 rows wide, covering an average of 1 acre of land.

Farmers keep the barriers up from Dec. 1 to March 1, after which they can remove the barrier or harvest the corn. Participants are recognized via signage, customized with the farmer’s name and crafted at the Division of Transportation sign shop.

Participants enjoy enhanced compensation and a wider range of vegetative barriers, but the advantages extend beyond the participants themselves. The living snow fence program reduces late-night callouts for snowplow drivers. Fewer callouts for snowplows means reduced maintenance costs and safer roads for travelers.

For information regarding the Living Snow Fence Program, visit mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/transportation/apply-for.