Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209812
Title: Are Cover Crops Being Used in the US Corn Belt?

Author
item Singer, Jeremy
item NUSSER, S - IA STATE UNIVERSITY
item ALF, C - IA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2007
Publication Date: 9/28/2007
Citation: Singer, J.W., Nusser, S.M., Alf, C.J. 2007. Are Cover Crops Being Used in the US Corn Belt? Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 62(5):353-358.

Interpretive Summary: The benefits of using cover crops are well established in the scientific literature, but adoption among end-users in agronomic farming systems is uncertain. The objectives of this study were to quantify cover crop use in the central western Corn Belt and the factors associated with their adoption. A mail survey was sent to 3500 producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota in June of 2006 to survey farming practices and cover crop use. The survey response rate was 36%. An estimated 18% of producers in this region have ever used cover crops, 11% have used cover crops in the last five years, and 8% planted cover crops last fall. Crop diversity was the most consistent and important factor controlling the use of cover crops across the four states surveyed. Central western Corn Belt producers believe that cover crops are most effective at reducing erosion (96%) and increasing soil organic matter (74%). Approximately 56% of producers in this region indicated that they would plant cover crops if cost-sharing was available. The information collected in this survey will help educators and legislators identify critical impediments to inceasing cover crop adoption.

Technical Abstract: The benefits of using cover crops are well established in the scientific literature, but adoption among end-users in agronomic farming systems is uncertain. Furthermore, limited regional information is available quantifying cover crop use in agronomic systems. Before cover crop use can increase, impediments to adoption must be defined. The objectives of this study were to quantify cover crop use in the central western Corn Belt and the factors associated with their adoption. A mail survey was sent to 3500 producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota in June of 2006 to survey farming practices and cover crop use. The survey response rate was 36%. An estimated 18% of producers in this region have ever used cover crops, 11% have used cover crops in the last five years, and 8% planted cover crops last fall. Cover crops were defined as plants grown between regular grain crop production periods. Logistic regression found that crop diversity was the most consistent and important factor controlling the use of cover crops across the four states surveyed. Central western Corn Belt producers believe that cover crops are most effective at reducing erosion (96%) and increasing soil organic matter (74%). Approximately 56% of producers in this region indicated that they would plant cover crops if cost-sharing was available. The mean minimum payment required as an incentive to plant cover crops would be approximately $23/acre.