Center for Rural Affairs: Crop Insurance Discount Available for Fall-Planted Cover Crops

NEVADA, Iowa, Dec. 3 (TNSPol) -- The Center for Rural Affairs issued the following news release:

Iowa farmers who planted cover crops this fall without financial assistance from state or federal cost-share programs may be eligible for a $5/acre discount on their 2022 crop insurance premium. This discount is a program administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency (RMA).

"The benefits of cover crops are wide ranging--from soil health and water quantity and quality, to our climate," said Kate Hansen, policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs. "It is great to see IDALS and RMA continuing to support farmers' voluntary conservation efforts in this way."

Applications will be accepted through Jan. 14 and the process is entirely online. Interested producers should visit apply.cleanwateriowa.org to apply.

IDALS will determine eligibility, verify acres and cover crops, and relay that information to RMA. If enrollment is approved, the farmer will see the discount reflected on their spring 2022 crop insurance premium.

Most crop insurance policies are eligible, with exceptions such as Whole Farm Revenue Protection.

Iowa is a national leader in cover crop use and is one of the first states to offer such an incentive. Now in its fifth year, the program has enrolled about 1,700 farmers.

Hansen said this program is not the same as the Pandemic Cover Crop Program offered nationwide last year.

"These are two separate programs, and it has not been confirmed if the national program will be offered again, '' she said. "I recommend signing up for the Iowa discount now, and keeping an eye out for further information on a national program in the coming months. In 2021, eligible farmers were able to sign up for both programs on the same acres."