The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency have joined forces to implement the Cover Crop Premium Discount Program for the fourth year in a row.
This program will reward farmers who plant cover crops by providing a reduced premium on their crop insurance. The discount program was designed to promote planting additional acres of cover crops that are not covered by other state or federal incentives. This program is eligible for 26 out of the 92 counties in Indiana.
This program will provide farmers with a unique opportunity to receive financial incentives for implementing cover crops in their operations. Farmers who plant cover crops on owned or rented acres will receive a $5 per acre crop insurance premium discount. Farmers who planted cover crops in the fall of 2023 are eligible to apply.
Qualifying counties in the local project area include Crawford, Daviess, Martin, and Orange.
Seeding of cover crops must follow best agronomic practices in terms of appropriate seeding rates, seed mixes and seeding dates to ensure objectives of the cover crop are being met. To ensure the practice provides the best results termination must be completed in the spring.
Applications are due March 15th, 2024, or when available funds are exhausted. Learn more and apply here or visit isda.in.gov.
