INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana is at or near the top for cover crops, with more than 1million acres planted for the second consecutive year, according to a report released by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). “Conservation continues to be a priority for Hoosier farmers, and this report proves that,” said Ted McKinney, ISDA director.

The 2016 Fall Conservation Transect Report is a collaborative effort among the ISDA, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and others – including all 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in the Hoosier State. 

Findings show close to 10 percent of the state's row crop acres were protected by cover and living roots and prevented 3.27 million pounds of nitrogen, 1.63 million pounds of phosphorus and 1.33 million pounds of sediment from entering Indiana’s waterways by keeping matter in the soil.

Jane Hardisty, a state conservationist with the NRCS, said Indiana leads the Midwest for planting cover crops, “if not the nation” and one reason is more farmers catching on to the economic upside, especially longterm, of cover crops improving soil health and quality.

The appeal is such that farmers recieving help to plant cover crops are then investing their own funds into covering more of their fields.

“We also have data to show that for each acre USDA pays to plant a cover crops through a farm bill program, another four to five acres are being planted without our cost share,” she said. “More farmers are realizing the financial benefits of investing in the health of their soil as a farm business decision.” According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), no-till cover crops are gaining momentum nationwide, with twice as many farmers reporting use of cover in some capacity since 2011, when just 4 percent across the country were engaged in the practice.

Other benefits of cover crops include reduced soil compaction and fewer weeds, EESI officials said. Some farmers turning to cover crops with no-till hail the economic benefits, noting higher yields, especially in drought because of healthier soils better able to retain moisture from the plant matter left in the ground.

Rodney Rulon has been no-tilling and using cover crops for a number of years on his farm, near Arcadia. He said his average yield was 130 percent above the nationwide average during the 2012 drought, which he called “one of the worst I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

“We have done the math and this year, we calculate the total benefit of cover crops on our farm at around $69 per acre. That’s a 266 percent return on our investment in seeding and planting,” said Rulon.

Joe Rorick, an agronomist at Purdue University, said Indiana being at or near the top in use of cover crops has lot to do with creation of the Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP). Besides all the SWCDs being involved, other agencies in the partnership include the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service and the Indiana State Conservation Board. The ICP, created in 1993, promotes the idea of and provides resources to help farmers learn how to effectively use cover crops. “They all work well together,” said Rorick.