Kansas farmers offered incentives to plant cover crops

No-till on the Plains and Upfield, the parent company of Country Crock, have partnered to provide a cover crop cost-share program for farmers in eastern Kansas and western border counties of Missouri. The sustainability initiative will provide $10 per acre reimbursement to producers to plant cover crops on acres previously not planted to covers.

The partnership between No-till on the Plains and Country Crock aims to incentivize the use of cover crops in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. The program is ideal for growers wanting to try cover crops or add acres that have not been previously planted to a cover crop. Participants will be offered $10 per acre on their qualified acres. A map of the eligible counties and the contract can be found on the No-till on the Plains website at notill.org.

“This is a program that offers producers the opportunity to try cover crops and learn how their soils will respond to the addition without as much financial risk”, says Steve Swaffar, Executive Director for No-till on the Plains. “The benefit to the soils will provide an additional payback to the farmers once their soils infiltrate and store more water, the cover crops improve weed suppression and they see pest cycles being interrupted,” said Swaffar.

Producers must provide USDA Form-578 showing the intended acres have not previously been planted to covers. Farmers will also be required to provide a receipt for seed purchase before the reimbursement will be provided.

Cover crops may be planted through Sept. 30, 2021 to participate in the program. Visit notill.org or call Executive Director Steve Swaffar at 785-210-4549 for more information.