Illinois Ag Groups Advocate for Expanded Fall Covers Program

By Andi Anderson

The Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program in Illinois, supported by the IL Corn Growers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, and American Farmland Trust, has gained significant traction and success in promoting cover crop adoption among farmers. The program offers a $5 per acre crop insurance premium discount to incentivize the planting of non-cash crops in the fall, contributing to soil health and nutrient retention.

Cover crops play a crucial role in in-field conservation practices, protecting soil from erosion, reducing compaction, and absorbing excess nutrients. Additionally, they act as a climate-smart agricultural practice by capturing CO2 during growth and returning it to the soil during decomposition.

The program, which initially targeted 50,000 acres in 2019, has seen a remarkable increase in demand. In the 2023 crop year, 160,000 acres were made available through a combination of state and Hypoxia Task Force funds, and these acres were quickly allocated in a matter of hours. Advocates now propose expanding the program to 500,000 acres, citing the success of the Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), a federal initiative that provided a similar $5/acre incentive for cover crop planting during crop years 2021 and 2022.

Key leaders in Illinois agriculture, including Dave Rylander (IL Corn Grower Association President), Ron Kindred (Illinois Soybean Association Chairman), Brian Duncan (Illinois Farm Bureau President), and Kris Reynolds (American Farmland Trust Midwest Regional Director), emphasize the importance of cover crops in achieving the IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, addressing extreme weather events, and providing a valuable and favored conservation practice for farmers.

The success and popularity of the Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program highlight the willingness of Illinois farmers to engage in voluntary conservation efforts that align with their operational needs and contribute to broader environmental goals.

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