Cover Crop Bill Could Turn Over a New Leaf in Sustainable Agriculture

Federal Legislation, Feedstocks, Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues, Illinois, Opinions, Policy, Sustainability

December 7, 2022

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by Elina Lingappa and Savannah Bertrand (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In July 2022, Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) introduced the Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program (COVER) Act (H.R.8527) to increase the adoption of cover crops. Cover crops are not harvested for sale or consumption, but instead grown for their environmental benefits. They reduce soil erosion, absorb greenhouse gases, and build resilience to climate change impacts, especially when used in tandem with other sustainable practices like no-till farming.

Cover crops mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon and storing it in the soil as they grow. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 11 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions came from agriculture in 2020, which means cutting emissions from the agricultural sector is critical for meeting climate goals. Some cover crop varieties also capture nitrogen from the air and store it in the soil, reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers that release the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Furthermore, cover crops increase resilience to climate impacts like extreme heat, drought, and flooding by increasing the soil’s ability to hold on to moisture and absorb intense rain.

To incentivize the adoption of cover crops, the COVER Act would create the Good Steward Cover Crop Program, which would provide a $5 per acre discount in crop insurance premiums to farmers planting cover crops.

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Providing insurance discounts for planting cover crops has proven to be an effective way to increase adoption. READ MORE

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