Deadline to Sign Up for Cover Crop Insurance Discounts Extended to January 31

DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 15, 2020) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has extended the deadline for farmers who planted fall cover crops to sign up for a $5 per acre reduction on their 2020 crop insurance premiums. Farmers and landowners now have through January 31 to sign up online at apply.cleanwateriowa.org.

Fall 2019 cover crop acres enrolled in other state or federal cover crop cost-share programs are not eligible. Farmers who received prevent plant payments in 2019 are still eligible for the discounted insurance premiums.

The insurance premium reductions will be available for fall-planted cover crops with a spring-planted cash crop. Some insurance policies may be excluded, like Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, or those covered through written agreements. Participants must follow all existing farming practices required by their policy and work with their insurance agents to maintain eligibility.

For questions regarding the application process, call 515-281-5851 or email covercropdemo@iowaagriculture.gov.

This is a joint, three-year demonstration project administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) aimed at increasing the use of cover crops in Iowa. More than 1,200 farmers have applied for this program and planted 300,000 acres of cover crops in the past two years.

Farmers are encouraged to visit their local USDA service center offices to learn more about other cost-share funding available to support the implementation of conservation practices.