Cover Crops

Cover crops can assist farmers in coping with springs becoming wetter and summers becoming drier as a result of climate change. In the spring, intense rainfalls compact the soil surface and do not allow water to percolate in the soil profile, increasing the risk of flooding and reducing the water retention capacity of the soil. Cover crops increase the capacity of soils to absorb water and reduce runoffs. The additional water remains available for crops during heatwaves in the summer, reducing heat stress for the plants.

Research shows that cover crops can effectively mitigate the destabilizing factors threatening agriculture, as recognized by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) through their cover crop cost-share program ($55 million annually; ~2 million acres). NRCS support has increased cover crop use, but much greater adoption and improved management strategies are needed to adequately address the challenges ahead. The long-term goal is to improve sustainability and resilience of US agriculture by providing the network and infrastructure necessary to support and accelerate cover crop use. Potential solutions involve integrating transdisciplinary research, extension, and education.