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Sugar River farmers have new cover crop incentive program
cover crop
Farmers of the Sugar River, a producer- led group, commonly meet in the field to discuss pros and cons of cover crops planted. They are working to find mixes and species that work in our area and in their rotations.

MONROE — Farmers of the Sugar River and Green County Land and Water Conservation Department received a grant for $100,000 from the Sand County Foundation to be able to offer farmers money for planting cover crops this summer and fall.  The grant greatly increases the funds available in the producer-led watershed and county to help farmers with the financial costs of adding a cover crop to their farming system.  

Cover crops are plants that are usually grown after a commodity crop like wheat, corn and soybeans.  Cover crops provide many benefits to the soil and environment such as:   

●  Improve soil structure allowing water and air to exchange in the profile.  

●  Prevent wind and water erosion by having a protective cover on the soil.   

●  Increase soil organic matter by having a living plant with roots capture the sun’s energy and turn it into carbon in the soil.

●  Provide a source of livestock feed- either grazed by the animals themselves or mechanically harvested forage.

●  Build and keep nitrogen bound in the soil for the next year’s crop.

●  Break up compaction with roots that drill into the soil to create pathways for water, air, and biology to infiltrate.

●  Create lasting residue on the soil surface that inhibits weed seeds to grow along with food for soil biology.

A tiered payment schedule, ranging from $30-50 per acre, is set to encourage cover crops to be planted earlier in the season.  Farmers will need to apply for the incentive and be approved before planting the cover crop for the incentive payment. Land needs to be in the Middle and Lower Sugar River Watershed. Farmers with land that has received funding from NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) in the past for cover crops are ineligible for these funds.  Applications are available at the Monroe USDA Service Center, 1627 4th Ave West, in Monroe as well as online from the Farmers of the Sugar website: https://greencountylwcd.com/plans-summaries/. 

Tonya Gratz, Soil Conservationist with the Green County LWCD, can also answer questions at 608-325-4195 extension 121.

farmers of the sugar river