Earlier this week, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced that it will be offering its crop insurance program for acres that are planted with cover crops.

Beginning on December 1, farmers and landowners who plant fall cover crops have the opportunity to apply for a $5 per acre discount on their spring crop insurance premiums. There is no limit on acres per individual, but cover crop acres cannot be enrolled in another state or USDA cost share program. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis until available funding runs out.

In its seventh year, this program has seen nearly 2,000 farmers enroll over 1 million acres of cover crops. For more information, visit your local USDA Service Center, or click here.